Harry and Alice Potter: Year One
by TheOriginalSnapespeare
Summary: Formerly titled "You Dont Have To Do This Alone" This story follows Harry Potter and his twin sister who have both survived Voldemort's Attack on the Potter family, marking them each as "the chosen ones". Harry was Raised by his god father Sirius Black. Alice's legal Guardians are Remus Lupin and her Godfather Severus Snape. Relatively close to Sorcerer's Stone.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 **

_It was a warm night in the country. Two farms sat in a valley. A tall old man seemed to appear from nowhere atop the hill. As he approached the valley he noticed one of the farms had a small bit of light creeping out. This old man was slim, with white-grey hair, and a beard that extended past his elbow. He wore a strange collection of robes, all of which were a deep emerald green. His half-moon spectacles were shinning in the moonlight. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore, and he had a very important task ahead of him. He approached the poorly lit farm house to the left and politely knocked on the door._

_The man who answered was of a medium build. He had a caring face, but it showed many bruises and scars. His tatted clothes did nothing to enhance his appearance. His name was Remus Lupin and he played a large role in the first man's task._

_"Hello Albus." Remus said as he welcomed the man into his home. "I was wondering how long it would be before you would be here."_

_"Yes well I felt it best to deal with this matter sooner rather than later." After chatting for a moment or two about nothing of consequence the two men decided to pay a visit to Remus' neighbor._

_Severus Snape was the last person anyone would expect to be raising a child. Let alone a child as special as she was. Maybe that's why Albus Dumbledore had chosen him all those years ago. No Severus knew the truth, he knew he was chosen as her godfather because of Remus' "furry little problem." Severus Snape was a dark man with a dark past. He wore black pants and a black shirt. Nearly everything he owned was black. The only bit of light and cheer in his life came from this one girl. It was late that same summer night that Severus sat awake staring at the girl that he had raised for ten long years. He wondered if she would have been different, if she would have turned out the same had she been raised by her parents. He was certain she wouldn't have, but at least she would have grown up with a mother. The one thing Severus had never been able to give her. He heard a light knock at his door. Very few people knew where Severus lived and that was just the way he liked it. Glancing at the clock hanging on the wall he wondered who had come to bother him at this hour. Using his wand Severus altered the girl's appearance so she would not be recognized as herself, reluctantly he opened the door. He was slightly relieved to find Albus and Remus standing there rather than a group of Death Eaters. With a flick of his wand the enchantment was gone and the girl was back to her natural appearance._

_"Hello Severus."_

_"I knew you would be coming soon enough Dumbledore, I just hadn't thought it would be this soon." Severus spoke through his teeth. Albus and Remus invited themselves in._

_"Yes well I thought it best we get this all out of the way now. Think, if you were her would you not want to know as soon as possible?"_

_"I suppose. But please Dumbledore not tonight. Let the girl have one last night of restful sleep before we cloud her life with nightmares." Albus could see the pleading in the man's eyes. He was surprised by this, Severus had sworn he would never love another thing after he lost his one true love._

_"Very well I suppose that is still your choice to make, but Remus and I will return in the morning. Early." Dumbledore said. And he turned and left._

_"Goodnight Severus." Remus said as he shut the door behind him._

* * *

><p>I yawned and scratched my head. Something about that day felt different from the first moment I woke up. I hopped off my bed and walked over to my full length mirror. My long red hair wasn't in its usual state of tangles and knots that occur during the night. Severus must have had a visitor last night. Whenever we have a…less friendly house guest, he had to use a special charm to enchant me, and make me appear less like myself. When it wears off my hair is always nice and clean and usually my skin too. I guess I was pretty enough. Though Severus told me frequently how much I looked like my mother. Except the eyes, I had my father's eyes. He always spoke of my father with bitterness, which made me wonder what role he had in my parent's premature death. Well I looked clean enough to go to breakfast. I hoped that Severus didn't mind that I would be wearing pajamas to Breakfast…again.<p>

My bedroom was in the upstairs loft of our farmhouse. One wall could be folded up against a second wall so that I could see the whole house. The wall was currently extended fully blocking me from the steps. I pushed away the wall a bit and peeked around it to make sure the "coast was clear." Sitting at the table I saw my favorite uncle. I pushed away the wall and took the steps two at a time. When I reached the bottom step Severus was already Scolding me.

"Allison Lillian what have I told you about running down the stairs? And are those your night clothes? And at breakfast none the less…" he continued to lecture me, and I continued to ignore him.

"Morning to you too Sev." I said as I walked passed. I ran to my uncle and soon we were embracing. "Good morning Uncle Remus!" I smiled.

"Good morning Alice." I turned back to Severus who was rooted in his spot. While I turned I asked,

"What are we having for…oh Hello?" for the first time I noticed a tall elderly man sitting across from Remus at the table.

"Hello Allison. My name is Professor Dumbledore. I don't know how much Severus has told you about me but I am the Headmaster at Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Oh that's the school Severus teaches at. That's the school my parents went to right Remus?"

"Your parents both graduated from Hogwarts, as did Severus and your Uncle Remus, and just seven short years you hopefully will as well."

"So does that mean that I get to go to Hogwarts this year?" I asked waiting for a rejection that I hoped wouldn't come.

"Yes, here is your letter." I was so excited I couldn't believe it. I started dancing around the room singing "I'm going to Hog-warts! I'm going to Hog-warts!" It was Severus who brought me back to reality. He swiftly grabbed me around the waist when I ran by and carried me back to my seat at the table. "Well now that my school business is out of the way, I have some personal business to attend to." Dumbledore began again. "But first I'd like you to tell me how much you know about your family and the wizarding world." I looked to Severus, unsure how much I should trust this seemingly kind old man.

"It's all right Alice. Professor Dumbledore knows everything. He just wants to know what I have told you." Severus said bitterly. Something about Professor Dumbledore upset him, but I knew Severus trusted him.

"I know my father had three best friends Uncle Remus, and a man names Sirius Black, and another named Peter Petegrew. I know Severus was my mother's best friend for a while but their friendship ended after a fight. When my parents were older there was a war that broke out between good wizards and evil. The dark wizards chose the name of Death Eaters and followed a man by the name of Voldemort. Most good wizards were part of a secret order, my parents were among them. Voldemort wanted my parents dead because of my mother, she was only half wizard blood. My parents went into hiding, but then Peter betrayed them and they were murdered. No one has seen Voldemort since."

"What else do you know about the wizard world?" The old man seemed so surprised at how much I knew. I was starting to think I knew more than I should, but really the only other things I knew about wizards were secrets I was supposed to keep. I wanted to tell Dumbledore because I wanted to impress him with my knowledge but I knew the secrets I kept, could not be told to just anyone. So I responded as politely as I could.

"Sir I know very little about the wizard world. What other things I know, are family secrets that I promised to never share with anyone."

"So Alice what you are saying is that secrets you keep are not yours, but you keep them to protect the ones you love?" I peeked at Severus and Remus out of the corner of my eyes. They were the only family I had and I would do anything to protect them, even if it meant not going to Hogwarts.

"Yes sir. That is what I'm saying." I thought I saw a twinkle in the old man's eyes.

"Then when I tell you my biggest secret you will understand that I have kept it a secret to protect you from harm, won't you?"

"Of coar…" But Severus cut across before I could finish.

"Albus enough of these games. The child has waited long enough to know. There is no excuse for not telling her. Please just get on with what you came here to tell her today."

"Now, now, Severus you need to have patience. We can't just expect me to spring something like this on her." I looked from the old man's clear demeanor to Severus' furious face. He was upset about whatever this man was going to say.

"Alice," Dumbledore began, "You have a brother."

"Sorry a what?"

"A brother. His name is Harry James Potter, and your full name is Allison Lillian Potter. You are the famous Potter twins who brought the defeat of the dark lord." I had of course heard the story of the Potter twins. I had grown up my whole life reading about them in the wizarding newspaper, _The Daily_ _Prophet._ It's said that after that night no one ever knew the twins' whereabouts. I guess I knew why, no one expects a famous witch to be hiding on farm in the middle of nowhere. I felt ridiculous for never bothering to ask Severus and Remus what my last name was, then I remember one important detail.

"But Professor, don't the Potter twins have matching scars on their foreheads? I haven't got any scars at all."

"Ah, but you do." The man began to murmur an incantation and I felt a warming sensation in several places on my body. I looked at my arm, a scar had appeared that should have been there when I was eight and fell of a horse. I walked to the washroom and sure enough there was a lightning bolt shaped scar on my forehead.

"But I don't understand. Surly this is your doing; I've never had these scars before!" I exclaimed. The old man just smiled.

"Severus." Was all he said. I looked to the man who had been like a father to me.

"I have been magically concealing your scars for many years. If you found the scar, I knew you would as questions. Questions that I did not have permission to answer." Then he continued to glare at Dumbledore.

"You see it was I who forbid Severus from telling anyone who you truly were. I made him make the unbreakable vow that he would not to tell anyone, not even you, about your true identity until the time was right." _The unbreakable vow._ I had heard of this too. It's a magical promise made two wizards, it was impossible to break. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't be angry at a man who would go through such lengths to protect me. "Now in order to continue keeping you and your brother safe, I need to know everything you know about our world." I looked at Remus this time asking for permission. Remus looked at me with his kind eyes and said

"There is nothing you can tell Albus that he doesn't already know about us Alice. He just wants to know what we've told you." He gave a reassuring smile as he echoed Severus' words from earlier. I would start with his secret then.

"Well professor, I know that there are other kinds of magical creatures other than witches and wizards. For example Uncle Remus is a werewolf. That's why even though he's my guardian I can't live with him. It would be too dangerous. Instead I live with my godfather Severus." I looked to Remus hoping he was not putting his trust in the wrong man.

"Ah so you have told her about your furry problem!" Dumbledore said with a chuckle. "Yes I have known about that since Remus was a student at Hogwarts. What other creatures have you heard of?" I tried to think.

"Not many. The one that always seemed the most interesting to me was House Elves. Creatures that love to cook, clean and do house work. I wish Sev and I had one of those. The old man laughed at this. "I have also heard some wizards can transform into animals. My father was one, so were his friends Peter and Sirius." I shot a terrified look at Remus. I wasn't supposed to tell anyone I knew that. Not even Severus. My father and his friends had done this illegally without registering with the ministry. Remus had made me promise not to tell anyone when I was very small. "I-I-I'm sorry it just slipped out!" I exclaimed.

"It's alright Alice. Dumbledore knows about that as well. I told you there is nothing you can say that he doesn't already know about Severus and me." I relaxed after that. I tensed up again when I remembered Severus' secret. It would affect us more than Remus' secret if I told the wrong person.

"Alice, Albus is like a father to me. He knows where my true loyalties lay." Was all Severus said.

"Professor the last secret I have involves the war my parents died for. Shortly after Severus and my mother had the fight that ended their friendship, he joined to Death Eaters. While in Voldemort's service he did many terrible things. Though exactly what he has never told me. After the death of my mother he spoke to a man Alb..oh it was you! Professor Albus Dumbledore! I suppose I owe you a thank you. It was you who rescued me, and I guess Harry, from our destroyed house. To make up for all the awful things Sev had done as a Death Eater, he asked to raise me."

"Which side of the war does Severus fight for now?" I thought carefully about how I should answer this question.

"I suppose most people would say both. I know he must pretend to be loyal to Voldemort in order to be a spy for the good Wizards. But I know that in his heart is not truly evil. The terrible things he did before were because he was grieving for the loss of his best friend. So he is a good wizard as well. I know Severus would never harm me, because I've lived with him my whole life."

"I See." The old man said very seriously. "Alice, I'm afraid that now that I have given you so much good news, I must share some bad news with you."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

"Ok Professor." I said timidly.

"You are right that Severus would never harm you and that he will do anything he can to protect you. However there are some things you may have to encounter on your own while at Hogwarts."

"What do you mean sir?"

"Well I have reason to believe Voldemort may not have died that night barely ten years ago." He took in a deep breath. "As you said yourself many Death Eaters believe that Voldemort will rise again. I need Severus to be my spy. If Voldemort is going to rise again I need to know."

"Dumbledore what are you getting at?" Severus asked.

"Now Severus, let me finish." Dumbledore said turning back to me. "If Severus is going to be a spy for me, he will have a very complicated life. He will have to pretend to be loyal to one of the darkest wizards of all time, while in his heart follow the path of the light." I was confused what did this have to do with me?

"You will not be completely alone at school, but please understand that is very important that the wizarding world not find out that you have been raised by Severus. If you have any problems while at school you will not be able to go to Severus it would be too suspicious. You yourself said that many people do not know where the Potter twins live. While you are at school you must allow others to assume you have been living in hiding with Remus. Therefore if you have any problems you must go to him, and not Severus."

"But Albus wouldn't it be easier for her to speak with Severus in secret? After all he will be at Hogwarts and I'll be here."

"Well that brings me to another order of business. Yesterday I saw Harry and Sirius. Sirius and I discussed something I have been thinking about for quite some time. He was not comfortable merely sending Harry off to school, especially when he found out Severus would be there, and as you know Severus, Hogwarts is in need of a Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, and as we have been going through them rather fast, I'm hoping if I hire two teachers for the position perhaps the children will take a liking to at least one. "

"Dumbledore that's absurd!" Severus burst out. "Having two of the biggest trouble makers in Hogwarts history teaching such an important subject."

"Severus, they are both adults now. I'm sure they have grown past their school boy ways. Remus seems to have."

"It was the other dog I'm worried about." Severus grunted through his teeth.

"Severus, I'm sure Sirius has grown a little. He has been raising a child as well." Remus said.

"Well who will care for the farms? Usually while I'm away at Hogwarts Alice and yourself care for both farms." Severus was grasping at straws, and everyone could see it.

"House elves." Dumbledore said. "Simply move some of the elves from your mother's estate. There are plenty of them there."

"Mother's estate?" I asked. "You have another house that you've never told me about?"

"I have several actually. But none of them were secure enough for a small child. I suppose we could move to one of the others if you like. Though I'm unsure of their living conditions but that is a matter for another time."

"Albus, I want to speak with Sirius first, but as long as everything goes well, I will take you up on that offer." Remus stated.

"YES!" I shouted. The three adults looked at me. "Sorry I'm very excited to have you both going with me. Even if it means I can't go to Severus with my problems. Besides it's just school. What could go wrong?" Six months later I regretted asking that question. "Professor Dumbledore when can I meet Harry?"

"Severus, Remus and I were just discussing that very subject and you will be taken to meet Harry as well as purchase your school supplies in three days' time. Now if none of you have any further questions, I should be getting back to Hogwarts." We all said our goodbyes and the kind old wizard disappeared into thin air.

**Two nights later**

I lay in bed, too excited to sleep. Tomorrow I would be meeting my twin brother, and another one of my dad's best friends Sirius Black. I reread my Hogwarts letter for at least the tenth time.

_Dear Miss Potter,_

_We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find the enclosed list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins September 1. Please send your reply by no later than July 31._

_Yours Sincerely,  
>Minerva McGonagall<br>_Deputy Headmistress

Next I read through the list of supplies I was going to be purchasing tomorrow.

**Uniform  
><strong>First year student require:**  
><strong>Three sets plain work robes (Black)**  
><strong>One Plain pointed hat (Black) for day wear**  
><strong>One pair dragon hide gloves.**  
><strong>One winter cloak (Black, Silver fastenings.)

**Course Books:  
><strong>_Standard book of Spells (Grade 1)_ by Miranda Goshawk**  
><strong>_A History of Magic_ by Bathilda Bagshot**  
><strong>_Magical Theory_ by Adalbert Waffling**  
><strong>_A beginner's guide to Transfiguration_ by Emeric Switch**  
><strong>_One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi_ by Phyllida Spore**  
><strong>_Magical Drafts and Potions_ by Arsenius Jigger**  
><strong>_Fantastic Beast and Where to find them_ by Newt Scamander**  
><strong>_The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection_ by Quentin Trimble

**Other Equipment  
><strong>1 wand**  
><strong>1 cauldron (pewter standard size 2)**  
><strong>1 set glass or crystal phials**  
><strong>1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl OR a cat OR a toad

**PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEAR STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS**

I fell asleep sometime after reading "The Standard Book of Spells by Miranda Goshawk. I drifted into a deep sleep, with my Hogwarts letter resting on my chest.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

I woke early the next morning eager to meet my brother. I hopped off the bed and made sure my foldable wall was extended out. I ran to my dresser, and stopped. What does a ten year old witch wear when she meets her wizard twin brother for the first time? A sun dress? No, I didn't want Harry to think I was too girly. Overalls? No that would scream farm-girl for sure. So somewhere in the middle. I settled for a pair of dark wash jeans, a green t-shirt and black sneakers. I braided my hair straight down the middle. I smiled my dark brown eyes shining in the mirror. From downstairs I could smell Severus cooking my favorite breakfast, Belgium waffles. I pushed aside the wall, but took great care in walking down the stairs.

"Good morning Sev!" I called cheerfully as I entered the kitchen. He turned from the stove and smirked.

"Well what has you in such a good mood today?" Severus asked.

_"Very Funny."_ I said sarcastically as I sat at the table that Albus Dumbldore sat at only three days ago. "You know today is the day that I get to meet Harry." Severus looked at me puzzled.

"Harry who?"

"Harry Potter, my twin brother Harry James Potter." I said but he continued with his charade.

"You have a brother? I don't remember raising a boy, only you Alice Lilly." He said using a nickname I hadn't heard his say in ages.

"You're still not Funny Sev. You never have been in the eleven years I've known you."

"You used to think I was funny when you were a baby." He said placing a plate of waffles smothered in strawberries in front of me. He sat in his usual seat on my left and began to read the Prophet.

"Clearly I wasn't a very bright as a baby." I said taking a huge bite of waffle.

"Be that as it may, you've always been rather bright for your age, like…"

"My mother?" I interrupted. "Severus what did my mother look like?" He got up from his seat, and walked over to the living room. He stopped at an old bookcase I was never allowed to touch. He told me it was because he kept all of his potion books in a particular order. When I got to be a little older I realize they were just alphabetized. Sometimes when he wasn't home I would sneak and read a few of them. I nearly always got caught though. From the book shelf Severus removed a red leather photo album. In shining gold lettering the words "Lilly and James Potter" were written. Severus returned to the table and handed the book to me. "Scarlet and Gold for Gryffindor right? Both of them were in Gryffindor. I think that's what Remus said."

"Yes both of your parents were in Gryffindor. Inside this book there are all kinds of pictures of your mother and father. I believe there are even some of you and Harry." I flipped open the book. The first page showed a couple embracing. The woman truly did look like me. She had long red hair, and a bright smile. I was like her mirror image. The only difference was as Severus had always said, the eyes. My mother had large round eyes, my father's eye were large to, but his like my own were more of an oval. Both my father and I had a lovely pair of brown eyes. In the picture my parents were spinning near what seemed like a fountain. Rose petals fell around them as twirled. Their laughter was frozen in time. It was almost painful knowing they were so happy, and that they would never live to be this happy again.

"May I keep this?" I asked.

"For as long as you like." He said. I closed the book.

"Don't you want to look at the rest of the pictures?" He asked me.

"I will. It just makes me sad to see them happy. I can't help but think about how things would be different if they were here. I love you Severus and I wouldn't want to change my life, but I would have liked to know my parents before they were taken away from me." I could tell Severus was feeling uncomfortable. That's why I didn't argue when He tried to change the subject.

"Don't you have somewhere you're supposed to be going?" He said bitterly.

"Not until Uncle Remus gets here." I said. We ate the rest of our breakfast in silence. When we finished eating I cleaned the table, and started to wash the dishes.

"I'll get those Alice. Perhaps you should go check on your uncle."

"Ok. First I'm going to go put away my photo album." I ran up to my room and placed the old photo album gently on the nightstand next to my bed. "I'll be back in a moment!" I called as I headed out the door. Our farm was small I suppose. In the far right of the house there was a barn that housed two horses, four sheep, six chickens, and two goats. The rest of our property was mostly grass for the animals to graze at. I ran off our porch and over to the end of our property line. Even though I could have just as easily walked to the front of the property, used to gate and followed the path to Remus's house, it was always more fun to climb over the small wooden fence, built to keep animals in. I climbed the second fence that marked the beginning of Remus's property. Then I jumped the few steps to his house and knocked on the door. "UN-CLE RE-MUS" I sing-songed as I knocked on the door. "You're supposed to take me out today remember!" Just as I went to open the door I felt the knob twist in my hand. I let go preparing to hug my Uncle.

The man who greeted me, had shoulder length wavy brown hair, he had light brown eyes that seemed to laugh when he talked. He seemed rather handsome despite being at least twice my age. The man stared at me for at least a solid minute before saying "Hello, you must be Allison."

"'I-I am. Is Remus home? And who may I ask are you?" I suppose now that I was famous I was going to have to get used to mysterious people knowing my name, though at the time it still freaked me out. I knew this man was not a Death Eater because he didn't have the signature Death Eater tattoo that Severus had taught me to recognize, by using his own of course, but still that didn't mean this man wasn't here to hurt my uncle. Remus stepped out from behind the long haired man. I was relieved to see that he was ok.

"This Alice is my best friend Sirius Black. Sirius I see you have already met Allison, she was just playing in the yard." Remus introduced.

"So you're Sirius Black. I have heard a lot about you from Uncle Remus. So much in fact I feel like I've know you my whole life."

"It is nice to finally meet you Allison. I wish we could have known each other your whole life. James was my best friend, and he and Lily loved you and your brother both so much it is such a shame you couldn't have grown up together."

"If you don't mind please call me Alice, and also if you don't mind my asking where is my brother? Where is Harry?"

"He's in the living room Alice." Remus said. Both men stepped aside so that I could meet my brother. Remus's house was a ranch style so the rest of the house was above the door level. I headed up the stairs, and walked left right into Remus's living room. As much as I was my mother's mirror image, Harry was my father's. They had the same messy black hair, and the same round face. They both even wore the same round glasses, something I'm sure that was done intentionally. They one difference was that behind Harry's silver glasses, I saw not my father's eyes but my mother's bright emerald ones shimmering back at me. For a moment I stood there frozen, and he sat much in the same way, we studied each other until finally we spoke at the same time.

"You look like mum!"

"You look like dad!" We laughed. "I'm Allison Lillian Potter. You can just call me Alice." I smiled and offered him my hand. He took it and stood up.

"I'm Harry. Harry James Potter." Suddenly a handshake just seemed too formal. We both pulled each other in for a hug. "It's nice to know that I won't have to go through this whole thing alone." I was surprised Dumbledore had told Harry about Voldemort returning. I was sure it was just a theory he had.

"Which part?" I asked. "There has been so much to take in at once."

"Well I guys I mean this whole wizard thing. Growing up I always thought I was alone. I only just found out I had a sister." So Dumbledore hadn't told him. Well if I trusted Dumbledore, if he didn't tell Harry I sure wasn't going to.

"Me too! I didn't know I had a brother, not until a few days ago of course. I have been so excited to meet you! I never worried about being alone though, we'll be going to school with a bunch of other kids who are going through the same things we are." _Well not the exact same things_ I thought.

"Harry, Alice are you two ready to leave?" I heard Sirius call from downstairs.

"Yes!" I called back. I grabbed Harry by the hand and practically pulled him down the stairs.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"We will be traveling by Portkey." Remus announced as he held up a dirty cola can. "Harry, Alice you have never traveled in this way, so please just remember to hold on tight and whatever you do, don't let go!" As soon as I reached for the can my head was spinning. Then I felt as if my insides were being ripped out. Before I could even scream though, we had landed.

"Welcome kids to Diagon Alley." Remus said. Diagon Alley was much more than just a mere alley. Everywhere you turned there were shops and little stores. The place seemed to go on for miles. Harry and I looked around mesmerized.

"Sirius is that a shop that just sells owls?" Harry asked.

"Yes Harry." He said. "That would be Eeylops Owl Emporium. But we best be getting you both money so that you can purchase supplies." Harry and I followed the two men absent mindedly while we marveled at all of the wonderful things wizards could buy. Finally we reached a giant white stone building much larger than the other shops. Over the double doors in giant brass letters read the word "Gringotts."

"So this is Gringotts." I said out loud.

"It's what?" Harry asked.

"Gringotts it's the wizard bank. I've only recently heard about it." Severus had just told me about it that morning in fact but I wasn't sure if I wanted to mention to Harry that I had been raised by an ex-Death Eater turned good. Certainly right in the center of Diagon Alley wasn't the place. We walked inside, Remus and I went to one of the goblin bank tellers while Harry and Sirius went to another.

"See you in a bit Harry!" I said smiling. Goblins were not friendly creatures to say the least. They are no more than two feet tall with creepy long fingers and feet. They looked like small children and old men at the same time.

"Vault Number." Asked our particularly grumpy looking teller.

"Three hundred and ninety four." I replied.

"That's not your parent's vault number." Remus said.

"I know. It's Severus'." I whispered so the Goblin didn't hear. "He told me this morning I'm not to use my inheritance money for school supplies. He said he has plenty of money I might as well use his."

"Do you have you key Miss…"

"Potter." I said "And yes I have my own key." I handed the heavy brass key to the goblin.

"Yes things seem to be in order. I will have someone take you to your vault Miss Potter."

"I have one more thing." Remus said. "I need access to vault Seven hundred thirteen. I have all the necessary paperwork from Albus Dumbledore." He handed the goblin a sealed envelope.

"Ah. I see. Someone will take you to both vaults then." I wanted to ask Remus more about his business with Dumbledore, but a second goblin appeared at our side to escort us to the vaults. About a half hour later Harry and I both had pouches full of money and Remus had his mysterious package tucked inside one of his pockets. Neither of us mentioned our trip to vault seven hundred thirteen to either Harry or Sirius.

"Where to first little cubs?" Sirius asked.

"The wand shop!" Harry and I burst out.

"Well I suppose we should have seen that coming." Remus chucked. "We'll take you to Ollivander's. It's the finest wand shop around." They guided us into a tiny shop on our left. The shop was full of boxes of several different sizes.

"Alright cubs Remus and I have some business to attend to, so if you don't mind we'll leave you, and be right back. Do not leave this shop without us!" Sirius said. Harry and I turned back to the messy shop I wondered if that "business" had anything to do with Remus' package.

"Is there even anyone here?" Harry asked me.

"If there is, I doubt we'll be able to find them in this mess." I said. We wondered to the back of the shop and found a cashier's desk and a bell. I tapped the bell lightly. "Heeello!" I called. Out of a stack of boxes to our left, a man emerged.

"I wondered when I would be seeing the pair of you!" whispered the man. "Harry and Allison Potter. So it is true, you both have those scars." Instinctively I reached my hand to my forehead touching the scar. "But you're here for more important business, you wands! My name is Mr. Ollivander. No two Ollivander wands are the same. We use unicorn hairs, phoenix feathers, and heartstrings of dragons for our cores. Now let's get to work shall we?" Mr. Ollivander searched the store pulling boxes out here and there. He returned with two large stacks of boxes. "Simply remove a wand from the box, and give it a wave." I reached out for the first box in the pile in front of me. When I wove the wand a stack of boxes from the other side of the room toppled to the ground. Now I understood why the shop was such a mess. Harry tried his first wand, and a box from overhead came soaring at us. We continued much in the same way until we had tried every wand in our piles.

"I wonder…" Mr. Ollivander said with a puzzled look. He vanished into the boxes once more and returned with two boxes. He placed them both on the counter. "The wand chooses the wizard. Try and see if either of these wands calls to you." Harry and I closed our eyes. Without opening them Harry and I reached for the box in front of each other. We opened our eyes. We each opened the boxes. Nearly as soon as I got a good hold on the wand light began glowing from all around me. I turned to Harry smiling; he was blinded by his own glowing light.

"Simply brilliant!" Mr. Ollivander cried out. Harry and I placed our wands back in the boxes while wrapped them in brown paper he spoke to us. "Allison your wand is eleven inches, made with mahogany wood, phoenix feather core. Harry yours is also even inches with a phoenix feather, but the wood is holly." He looked up at us an paused. "I remember every wand I've ever sold. Every single wand. The phoenix whose tail feathers are in your wands, has only give one other feather, just one." He returned to wrapping the boxes. "The owner of that wand, is the man that gave you those scars." Harry and I exchanged a glance. "Yes I believe we can expect great things from the pair of you." I don't know about Harry but I was totally creeped out. We each paid seven gold galleons for our wand. We thanked Mr. Ollivander and nearly as soon as we paid him, I heard a series of hoots from behind us. Harry and I turned to see Sirius and Remus standing there, each with an owl cage in their hands.

"Let's not tell them about Voldemort's wand being like ours just yet." Harry whispered.

"No problem." I agreed and just like that Harry and I had our very first in a series of secrets that would eventually take over our lives.

Harry and I ran over to see them. Remus handed Harry a cage with a beautiful snowy white owl inside. She cooed as she gave Harry's finger a friendly nibble. "I'll name her Hedwig." Harry said as he continued to stare at her bright golden eyes.

"And this one's for you Alice." Sirius said as he handed me a cage with a friendly little barn owl in it. I had always loved barn owls we had a lot of them on the farm over the years. I wondered how Sirius knew I loved them. As if reading my mind he said "Remus told me that when you were young you would sit for hours and watch wild barn owls, so I figured you'd love to have one of your own."

"Oh it's perfect Sirius! Thank you!" I said and gave him a hug as I took the cage from him. "I'll name him Apollo after one of my favorite muggle mythology characters."

"Happy Birthday you two!" Remus said. The four of us spent the rest of the day shopping and getting the rest of our school supplies. The worst part of the day was being fitted for our robes. It took nearly three hours. When we were finally done purchasing our things Harry and Sirius returned to their home, but not before Sirius promised we would all arrive for the Hogwarts Express together. Harry promised to write and in truth we wrote each other nearly every day. I thought Hedwig and Apollo would grow tired of flying by the end of the summer.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

I had taken to reading my school books in my free time. That's what I was doing the morning I would be leaving for Hogwarts. I was curled up on our sofa reading _Hogwarts a History_ when Severus came into the living room. It was very early in the morning and I could tell Severus had not entirely woken up yet.

"How can you read at this hour?" He grumbled as he sat in a large armchair next to me.

"I have to do something while I wait for Sirius and Harry to arrive with the car."

"Are you certain you've packed everything in your trunk?" He asked for what felt like the hundredth time.

I sighed. "Yes Severus I'm sure I have packed everything. I've already checked five times. I have even packed a separate bag of things to do on the train and in that bag I have packed a school uniform to change into on the train."

"Very well before you leave for school I want you to have something." He walked into his bedroom and soon returned with a piece of old parchment, really old parchment.

"Severus I've already got plenty of parchment." I said going back to my book.

"This isn't just parchment. It's enchanted parchment. Your mother and I would use it to communicate while we were in class." He produced a second sheet of similar parchment and handed me the first. Grabbing a quill he wrote on the parchment. The piece in my hand grew warm and I looked down, written in red ink the words Hello Alice we written in his elegant handwriting. I dug into my bag for a quill this is cool I wrote back. Soon the words vanished. He held up his parchment for me to see. In green letters there was my message in my smooth script.

"I can send you messages and no one will know!" I exclaimed realizing what that meant. "And the words vanish so we don't have to worry about anyone seeing, brilliant!"

"It was your mother's idea. Many of her friends were not happy that she was friends with a Slytherin, though she knew better. The house that you are in does not determine the person you grow up to be, always remember that Alice." I smiled at a man who was wise beyond his years. It was just so sad the things he had to face to become so wise. "Well I suppose we better get your things next door so that you are ready to leave when the dog gets here."

"Why do you always call him that?" I said angrily.

"Would you prefer lousy Gryffindor?"

"Severus Snape, you just told me it makes no difference what house a person comes from!"

"Old habits die hard." He smirked. I glared at him with my arms folded.

"Sev" I knew what he was thinking_. You are acting like your mother._ This time I was hoping to use that as leverage.

"Alright I'm sorry. Stop pouting it's rather unattractive, particularly on you." He then cast a spell and my trunk was floating in front of him, he picked up Apollo's cage and headed out the door. I grabbed my book and my bag and raced out after him. We took the long was to Remus' house, walking the road I truly had forgotten how much longer it was this way. Soon Severus was able to drop my trunk by the door and place Apollo securely on top. "I won't see you again until the feast later tonight. Behave for the d…Sirius and Remus; remember your manners on the train. If you should need anything you have the parchment, and you can always owl." He nodded and turned to walk back down the road. _Always so affectionate_ Ithought. I raced after him; he turned when he heard my footsteps. I ran into a hug. He stood still for a moment and then wrapped his arms around me. It had been the same goodbye every year when he went away. I said the same words I had said for the past ten years.

"I'll miss you Sev." I turned and left before he could see me cry like I did every year, but for once the tears didn't come.

"I'll see you at dinner." He grumbled at me. It was the first time that our goodbye didn't mean goodbye for the whole school year. It was only goodbye until dinner, and for the first goodbye in ten years I was smiling.

I knocked softly on Remus' door and twisted the knob. I stepped inside and climbed the steps. "It's Alice!" I bellowed to the seemingly empty house. I heard rustling in his bedroom. The door was open so I peeked inside. On the bed Remus had a suitcase with some clothes and books in it. The room was in a state of chaos, with clothes all over the floor and books stack in lopsided piles.

"Oh Good morning Alice! I'm just packing some last minute things. Is Severus here?"

"No sorry he helped me bring my things over though."

"Ah that's good. I wanted to ask him a potions question though. You see I'm running low on wolfsbane potion and I was hoping…oh I suppose I can always ask him at dinner."

"I'll ask for you Remus!" I explained about the enchanted parchment as I searched for a quill.

_**Severus?**_ I waited a few moments.

_I didn't think even a Potter could get into trouble that soon._ I grinned as I watched the words vanish.

**Still not funny. Remus needs more Wolfsbane soon. Can you work on it at Hogwarts?** It seemed like days had passed before he replied.

_Tell Remus I knew that he would be running low soon, so I took the liberty of making him a batch already. He may pick it up at school._ I dispatched the information to Remus and he immediately relaxed. I felt bad for him.

"How painful is it?" I asked.

"What?" he asked turning around. "How painful is what Alice?"

"Being a werewolf." I asked.

He smiled. "I'll tell you when you're older." I know what that meant. It's an adult's way of saying I don't want to talk about it right now. Remus had never said that to me, but there were many time when Severus had said _"I don't want to talk about it." _So I dropped it for now.

"Can I help you pack at all?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"I'm actually just about finished." He said as he shut the suitcase.

"Ok." I went over to the living room and sat on the sofa. I flipped absent mindedly through _Hogwarts a History_ until I heard a knock on the door.

"Are you ready to go?" Remus asked.

"I've been ready for months!" I said jumping off the sofa. We headed outside and Remus locked the door. He left the key under the mat where the house elves would come retrieve it tomorrow. Harry was sitting in the back seat of the car while Sirius lifted my things into the trunk. I jumped in the back with Harry and Remus helped Sirius. Soon we were driving the long trip to King's Cross Station. Before I knew it I was standing next to Harry. Our things loaded on identical trolleys. Sirius and Remus lead the way while Harry and I pushed the carts. It was Harry's first time at a train station and so I was explaining what everything was. "And each one of the trains meets at a different platform. The Hogwarts Express meets at Platform…" I read my ticket "Nine and Three Quarters? This can't be right. The platforms are only whole numbers."

"Here we are little cubs, Platform Nine and Three Quarters." I head Sirius call back to us, but when I Harry and I looked up both he and Remus were gone.

"Maybe they already got on the train?" Harry suggested.

"What train Harry?" I pointed to the giant cement column with platform numbers. On the left there was a sign that had a giant number nine; the right had a giant number ten. "There's not even a Platform Nine and Three Quarters!" There were so many people around Sirus and Remus could be anywhere.

"Packed with muggles of course!" We heard a Woman's voice ring out over the others. Harry and I looked at each other.

"Let's go!" I pulled Harry after the woman's voice. We found a plump women talking to her five children. Four boys, and one girl all of them had bright red hair.

"Alright Percy, you go first." The woman said to the oldest boy. Harry and I watched as the boy ran straight into the column! But rather than smashing his trolley and bouncing back we watch astonished as he vanished into the column.

"Excuse me! I called out to the woman as Harry and I approached her with our trolleys.

"Yes?" She asked and she turned to us.

"I'm sorry but could you please tell us how to..uh…"

"Oh how to get onto the platform? Not to worry, all you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between nine and ten, Don't stop and don't be scared to crash into it, that's very important. Best do it at a bit of a run if you're nervous. It's Ron's first time as well!" She said indicating the youngest boy. "Why don't you show them Ron?" We watched as again the boy charged at the platform and disappeared into it. "See it's easy. Now one of you try."

"I'll go first." Harry said. He braced himself and broke into a full out run. Next thing I knew I was standing alone with the woman and her three remaining children.

"Go ahead dearie." She encouraged.

"Thank you!" I called back as I ran at the barrier. A scarlet steam engine was waiting next to a platform packed with people. A sign overhead said Hogwarts Express. I looked around for Harry, Sirius and Remus. They were standing near the train; they had already loaded their things onto the train and were just waiting for me. After loading all of my things onto the train we prepared to board.

"We'll see you at dinner. Be nice and…"

"Remember your manners." Harry and both responded. We said our goodbyes and we all got on the train. As the train sped away from the station Harry and I watched our guardians disappeared. I continued reading _Hogwarts a History_ and Harry watched the countryside pass by. We heard a knock on the door and we both looked up.

"Do you mind if I sit here? Everywhere else is full?" It was the young red headed boy we had met before.

"Sure. It's Ron right?" I asked as he sat down next to Harry.

"Yeah. I'm Ron. Ronald Weasley."

"I'm Allison but you can call me Alice, and this is my brother Harry Potter."

"Are you the Allison and Harry Potter?" The boy asked astonished.

"Yup." Harry said.

"Is it true that you have…the..the.."

"Scars?" I asked. "Yes, it's true. Right on our foreheads." I showed the boy my forehead, and then Harry moved his bangs to show his.

"Wow." He studied us both for a minute. "Do you like being twins? I have twin brothers Fred, and George, they are always pulling pranks together."

"We actually did not grow up together. We didn't even know we had a twin until about a month ago. I bet it was nice growing up with three older brothers." I said.

"I have five." He said. "I'm the sixth in my family to go to Hogwarts. Bill and Charlie have already left. I've got a lot to live up to. Bill was head boy and Charlie was Quidditch captain. Now Percy's prefect. Fred and George mess around a lot but they still get good marks most of the time and everyone thinks they're funny. Everyone expects me to do as well as the others, but if I do it's no big deal because they've done it first. You never get anything new with five brothers. I've got Bill's old robes, Charlie's old wand, and Percy's old rat." The boy reached into his jacket pocket and produced a rat. "His name is Scabbers and he's useless." There was a light clanging outside our compartment; a woman stuck her head into the compartment.

"Anything off the cart dears?" Between Harry and I we purchased nearly everything off of the cart. There were Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Cauldron Cakes and so many other things sprawled throughout the compartment. I settled on a box of every flavor beans and allowed Harry and Ron to eat the rest. The boys began trading Chocolate Frog cards, so I returned to my book.

"Have either of you ever tried performing magic?" Ron asked. I think both Harry and I had been too freaked out by our experience at Ollivanders to even think about trying magic before school.

"No." we both said.

"I tried to turn Scabbers Yellow yesterday, you know to make him more interesting, but the spell didn't work. I'll show you…" he pulled his wand from his pocket. It was chipped in places and the unicorn hairs were poking out. Just as Ron raised his wand the compartment door slip open.

"Has anyone seen a toad? A boy named Neville's lost one." It was a girl with lots of bushy brown hair; she was already wearing her Hogwarts robes.

"Sorry, none of us have seen a toad." I said. She looked around at Harry, Ron, and I probably to see if we were lying. She stopped when she saw Ron's wand raised.

"Oh are you going to do magic? Let's see it then." She sat down next to me, everyone's attention turned to Ron.

"Uh, Alright Sunshine, Daisies, Butter Mellow, Turn this Stupid, Fat Rat Yellow." Ron waved his wand but nothing happened.

"Are you sure that's a real spell?" She frowned. "I'm Hermione Granger by the way."

"I'm Ron Weasley. And this is Harry and Alice Potter."

"Pleasure to meet you all. Wait are you the Allison and Harry Potter?"

"That seems to be the question of the day doesn't Harry?" I chuckled. "Yes we are the Potter twins. And yes before you ask we do have the scars. We didn't grow up together; we were raised in separate home by two of our parents' best friends."

"I see. What are you reading?" Hermione asked.

"_Hogwarts a History,_ It's one of my favorites."

"So you've read all of the course books as well? I've memorized nearly all of them. I'm muggle born you know. So naturally when I found out I was a witch I wanted to know as much about magic as I could." Board by our conversation, the boys went back to trading Chocolate Frog Cards, while Hermione and I talked about the course books. It was getting to be late and we all decided we should change into our Hogwarts robes. Hermione and I stepped outside while the boys changed; they then did the same for me. Before we knew it we were pulling into the station.

Standing outside there was a giant. " 'ello First yars this way!" Ron explained that the giant's name was Hagrid and that he was only half giant. He then told us that we weren't quite at Hogwarts yet. They first year student rode in boats to the castle, while the older students rode in carriages pulled by invisible animals to the castle. "Come on first yars to tha boats." Hagrid told us there were four students to a boat, and once we reached the castle we were to wait for another professor to greet us. Hermione and I sat in the front of the boat while Ron and Harry rowed us across. When we reached the other shore I couldn't believe my eyes. Hogwarts castle was even more beautiful than I could have imagined.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Hagrid lead us in our boats to a sort of under the castle passage. When we were all together, the boats were tied off and Hagrid told us to wait by the large wooden door, the only entrance to the castle from here. Hagrid raised his gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once. A tall black grey-black haired witch in emerald green robes stood there. She had a very stern face, but in her eyes you could see kindness.

"The firs' years Professor McGonagall." Hagrid said.

"Thank you Hagrid, I will take them from here." Professor McGonagall then instructed us to follow here inside the castle. We followed her across a flagstone floor, and passed another large wooden door. I could hear laughter and talking of at least a hundred other voices. That was the great hall then, the rest of the students and faculty would we waiting there. Professor McGonagall led us into a door to the right of the great hall. We all crowded in towards the center struggling to hear the old woman. "Welcome to Hogwarts." She began. "The start-of term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats you must be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony, because while you are here, your house will be like your family. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitories, and spend time in your house common room." She paused to make sure we were paying attention. "The four houses are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each of the four houses has its own respectable history. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn you house points, while any rule breaking will lose them. At the end of the year the house with the most points will be awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope that each of you is a credit to whichever house becomes yours." She took in a deep breath. "The sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes. I shall return when we are ready for you." And with that she left the chamber shutting the door behind us.

"So it's true then? What they were saying on the train? The Potter twins have come to Hogwarts?" Harry and I turned around the find a Slimy blond boy looking at us as he spoke. _Thanks for letting everyone know, would you like to alert the Prophet next?_ I thought as the rest of the first years began searching around for Harry and I. "These are my friends Crabbe and Goyle." He indicated to two thug like boys standing behind him, almost like bodyguards. "And I'm Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." We all heard Ron try to stifle a laugh on Harry's left.

"Think my name is funny do you? No need to ask who you are. Red hair, freckles, and hand-me-down robes? You must be a Weasley." Neither Harry nor I much liked the way this Draco character was talking. He then turned to Harry and I. "You'll both soon learn that some wizarding families are better than others. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."

"I think Alice and I can tell who are the wrong sort on our own thanks."

"I'd be careful if I were you Potter. Unless you want to go the same way your parents did." Harry was about to raise his hand in a fist as the chamber door swung open and Professor McGonagall returned.

"Please form a line and follow me." Harry, Hermione, Ron and I waited for the end of the line and headed out of the chamber. While we waited Ron whispered in my ear.

"I truly don't care which house I'm in, but if I'm with that Malfoy kid, I will off myself first chance I get." The great hall was lit by thousands of candles magically floating in mid-air. The ceiling was a rich black, bright white lights dotted the black.

"The ceiling is bewitched to look like the sky outside." I told Harry. He looked up with amazement. "I read it in _Hogwarts a History._" We passed the four long house tables where the rest of the students had already been seated. In front of the student tables there was a long wooden table where the teachers sat. Remus and Sirius waved when they saw Harry and I. Severus, trying not to draw too much attention, gave a slight nod. Professor McGonagall placed a stool in front of us first years. On top of the stool sat the most tattered and patched wizard hat I had ever seen. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth and it started to sing!

"I love magic." I heard Harry whisper. It was hard to hear exactly what the hat was saying but I heard it describe each of the four houses. Gryffindors were brave, Hufflepuffs were loyal, Ravenclaws were wise, and Slytherins were cunning. I didn't know if I could be any of those things.

"When I call your name you will put on the hat, sit on the stool, and be sorted." Professor McGonagall said. "Abbot, Hannah." Everyone waited as the girl named Hannah sat on the stool.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat. Professor McGonagall continued down the list. I looked to my friends.

"Harry are you nervous?" He smiled.

"Only a lot." I laughed, perhaps a bit too loudly because some nearby Hufflepuffs were staring.

"There's nothing to worry about. Despite what that hat says, the house that you come from doesn't determine the person you become." He seemed to relax after that. "Besides I have to go first don't I?"

"Don't be nervous Harry. They sort by family anyway. Weren't both your parents Gryffindors? I bet you'll be in Gryffindor too. I know I'll be in Gryffindor like every other Weasley before me."

"Yeah but Sirius' whole family was in Slytherin and her was sorted into Gryffindor. What if I'm in Slytherin?"

"Harry you won't be in Slytherin!" Hermione said.

"Granger, Hermione." McGonagall called out.

"GRYFFINDOR!" shouted the hat.

"Easy for her to say." Harry mumbled as Hermione took a seat next to Ron's older brothers Fred and George.

"Malfoy, Draco." We all let out a groan as Malfoy swaggered forward. "Slytherin." We all mouthed as the sorting hat cried out. Finally McGonagall reached

"Potter, Allison." I bounced forward excited to finally have a house of my own.

"There's a bit of everything here I see. Loyalty to the ones you love, very witty as well, most definitely bravery, but there a little bit more cunning." I searched my brain trying to think._ Oh no which one was cunning again? Was it Hufflepuff? _NO_. _Suddenly I remembered, and I thought I would die. "SLYTHERIN." The word seemed to bounce off the walls and slap me in the face. I had no other choice but to hop off the stool and sit at the Slytherin table next to greasy, slimy Malfoy. Sort by family my butt Ronald Weasley. I looked at the staff table to see Severus smiling for ear to ear.

"Potter, Harry" Everyone waited as Harry seemed to be pleading with the hat. I watched as his mouth formed the words "Not Slytherin." Gee thanks Harry.

"Better be GRYFFINDOR" The hat shouted. The Gryffindors cheered as Harry joined them. After a few more students were sorted Ron too joined the Gryffindor table. I sighed, I'm alone then. When the sorting was finally completed Albus Dumbledore stood to address the school.

"Welcome, Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would just like to say a few words. First years should note that the forest is forbidden to all pupils. And few of our older students would do to remember this as well." The Weasley twins gave a hearty laugh. "I have also been asked by , the caretaker, to remind you that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors. Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house, should speak with their heads of house. And finally I must tell you that this year, the third floor corridor on the right side is out of bounds to everyone who doesn't wish to die a very painful death. But alas, let us feast."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

After Dumbledore spoke food magically appeared on the serving platters in front of us.

"Potter pass the potatoes." I turned to Malfoy on my left.

"Only if you say Allison, Please pass the potatoes." The steaming hot potatoes nearly scalding my hands.

"Alright, Allison please pass the potatoes."

"Certainly Draco." I said handing them to him. "Draco you and I are going to be spending a lot of time together over the next seven years. It is going to be a long seven years without manners." On my right a small girl with bright blue eye tapped my shoulder. Her short blond curls bounced as she talked.

"Would you like some roast beef?" She asked handing me the platter.

"Sure!" I said taking the serving dish from her.

"My name is Emily Smith." She said. "Both my parents are magical. Are yours?" I looked at the small girl. I didn't understand how someone who had grown up with two magical parents could not know about Lilly and James Potter. Then again, maybe she was trying to be nice. _She wants me to know that she sees me more than just my fame._ I thought.

"My dad was pureblood wizard, and my mom was a muggle born witch. I think that makes me a half blood? I'm Alice Potter by the way." I said with a smile.

"Oooh." The girl said as if she suddenly recognized me, though if she was pretending I'll never know. "I think I read that somewhere in _The_ _Prophet_. Both my parents were in Slytherin. I suppose that's why I am." Is _everyone _sorted by family except me? "Not everyone is Slytherin is evil like they say." She continued. "I heard you and your brother were raised by two of the Professors is that true?"

"Yes." I said. I tried to find Remus and Sirius again at the head table. "See the one sitting on Hagrid's left?"

"The one with the long black hair?" She asked.

"Yes. That's Sirius. Well I suppose he's Professor Black now, he raised Harry. And the man to his right, that's Professor Lupin. I've known Uncle Remus for as long as I can remember." I hated to mislead a new friend, but I knew it was for the best. Suddenly I felt a white hot pain on my forehead, it seemed to be coming from my scar. I looked for Harry; he was clutching his forehead as well. Both he and Severus seemed to be having some sort of a staring contest. I searched my bag for that bit of old parchment.

_**What are you doing to Harry?**_ I watched as Severus talked with a Professor, I was sure was named Quirrell. Severus casually reached into his pocket, produced the parchment and a quill trying to make it look as if he were taking notes on what Quirrell was saying.

_Nothing. Though both you and your brother ought to be careful not to put your trust in the wrong sort._ All this talk of the "wrong sort" was making my head spin.

_**Do you mean Quirrell?**_

_Perhaps._ He must be joking. Professor Quirrell was meek, and mild mannered and Severus had been teaching alongside him for years, surely he would have noticed something strange before now. Anyway the pain was gone and Harry was laughing with Ron. About an hour later Dumbledore stood and addressed us once again as the food disappeared from our plates. "And now bedtime, off you trot!" The Slytherins were the first to leave the hall. We followed our prefects to the dungeons. We stopped at what appeared to be a dead end wall of stone.

"Password?" The walls asked in a deep voice.

"Pureblood." The male prefect said matter-of-factly.

"Just lovely." I whispered to Emily. As a giant wooden door emerged from the stone wall. We entered a dark dungeon covered in Sliver and green. There was a large common room where we could do homework and hang out. Across from the wooden door there was a large fireplace. On either side of the fireplace there was another wooden door. Emily and I headed to the door on the right marked Ladies.

"HEY POTTER!" I turned around to be greeted by Malfoy. I rolled my eyes.

"Hey what Malfoy."

"Goodnight." He looked like he wanted to say so much more than that, but turned and walked away towards the boy's dorm. The Slytherins had the girls broken up into dorm rooms of three girls each. Emily and I searched the hallway looking for our dorms.

"We're in the same dorm!" Emily called three doors ahead of me. I read the door sure enough it read

ALLISON POTTER  
>EMILY SMITH<br>MARY THOMPSON

Emily and I entered the room. The third girl, Mary was already inside sitting on her bed. She had straight black hair and green eyes.

"Hello my name is Mary Thompson, but I'm sure you've already figured that out." She gave us a genuinely friendly smile.

"My name is Emily, and this is Alice. It's nice to meet you."

"Well if you guys don't mind, I think I'm going to bed. It's been a long night." Mary said.

"Me too." I said.

"Me three!" Emily added. As we turned into bed I searched for my enchanted parchment.

_**Goodnight Sev. See you at Breakfast.**_ While I waited for him to respond I realized both Emily and Severus were right. The house you come from does not matter. I fell asleep and never saw Severus' response.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

We were to start classes the next day. The heads of house were walking up and down the house tables passing out schedules.

"That's why he smiled when I was sorted into Slytherin." I said mostly to myself.

"Who?" Mary asked. She was sitting across from me buttering some toast.

"Sever..I-I mean Professor Snape." That was a close one. I should really get used to calling him Professor Snape.

"I guess when you are raised by a Professor you know them all by name!" Emily said.

"Yeah, though Remus constantly reminds me they are my Professors now." I didn't bother pointing out that Remus hadn't alwaysbeen a professor .Severus had paused a few students to the left of us listening carefully to what we were saying. He turned his attention back to Malfoy who was asking nearly every question about potions imaginable. Severus looked bored, a rare occasion when discussing potions.

"Mr. Malfoy, I'm sure since you are so interested in potions you would love to see me after class if you have further questions. For now I have more important things to do." Mary, Emily and I laughed, unfortunately nearly all of the Slytherins heard us. "And just what is so funny girls?" Severus asked in a too familiar suspicious tone.

"Oh professor Mary just told us the most wonderful joke about a Slytherin, a Gryffindor, and a Dog."

"Well I'm sure it is funny Miss Thompson, I do not think we have had a comedian in Slytherin in over a decade. Be that as It may, here are you schedules girls." Severus handed us each a piece of parchment with a series of times and classes on them. As I read the schedule I saw many of our classes were shared with Gryffindors.

"Thank you Professor." We said as Severus stalked away. He was a much unhappier person here and I didn't understand why, Hogwarts was such a wonderful place for me, even if I was in Slytherin.

_I would watch what you're doing around young Mr. Malfoy . See you in class. DO NOT be late._ I chewed absent mindedly at my toast while I read Severus' note wondering what he meant about Draco.

_**Are his parents Death Eaters?**_ I asked

_Yes. Only the father, though the mother is unpleasant._ My chest tightened. I was in the same house as a Death Eater's son. I didn't understand why that upset me. Many people could be related to Death Eaters. That didn't mean Draco was a death eater. After all I was raised by a Death Eater, sort of, and I turned out just fine.

"Come on Alice! If we don't leave soon we're going to be late for Herbology." Emily said tugging at my robes.

"Alright." I grumbled tossing my half-eaten toast. We walked out of castle and across the stone courtyard to the Herbology greenhouses. Professor Sprout was a plump and friendly woman. She was also head of Hufflepuff house. I knew that in Herbology we would be learning how to care for magical plants and fungi. I walked into the greenhouse nearly passed out. A white hot pain was throbbing through my forehead. I leaned on Emily for Support.

"Are you ok Alice?" she asked gripping my elbow.

"Forehead, killing me." I muttered.

"You should sit down." Emily and Mary guided me to the nearest seat.

"Is t-t-here s-s-something I c-c-can d-doo for you l-l-l-adies?" It was that same Professor I had seen Severus talking to the night before. He wore a turban around his head and reeked of garlic. Severus had once said he was annoying, I can see why.

"Just a headache." I grunted.

"P-p-p-perhaps m-m-Miss Potter should g-g-go to the Hospital wing."

"Yeah let's go Alice." Mary said. "Professor Quirrell can you tell Professor Sprout where we went?"

"C-c-certainly." But as soon as we left the greenhouse I felt much better. I told Mary and Emily they still insisted on taking me to the hospital wing. They left me in Madam Pomfry's more than capable hands. She told me that she couldn't find anything wrong with me and sent me back to class.

_**Severus are you teaching a class?**_

_No. I am in my office._

_**Can I come see you?**_

_Is everything alright?_

_**Don't know. See you soon.**_ Within minute I had reached Severus' office. I knocked on the door.

"Enter." He said through the door.

"I've been getting these awful headaches. Once last night at dinner, and again just know in the Herblogy greenhouse."

"Perhaps you are allergic to something in the greenhouse."

"But then why would it affect me in the Great Hall?"

"Maybe it's not an allergy. Maybe it is stress. You have had a stressful summer. You would get these awful headaches from stress when you were a child. I'm sure that's all it is." He said not to worry but his face showed nothing but concern. "I used to make you a potion when you were small. Would you like me to make you some?"

"No it's ok. I don't want you to go out of the way. Besides no other students have a potions master as their father." I shut the door behind me. I headed to the entrance hall's grand steps. I walked down a long hallway on my left and eventually reached the defense against the dark arts room. Remus and Sirius were standing in the front of the class smiling at the students and they entered. I was relieved to see Harry sitting with Ron and Hermione. Emily and Mary had saved me a seat behind my brother and his friends. He slipped me a note as I sat down.

_Are you ok? I heard you went to the Hospital Wing._

_**Yeah. Walked into greenhouse, instant headache.**_

_Same thing._

_**Probably just stress.**_

_Yeah you're right_. Just then Remus and Sirius started the lesson. We were learning about the importance of defending yourself against dark magic. I think my hand was going to cramp up from all the writing. After class I went back to the greenhouse to collect the work I missed from Professor Sprout. Mary and Emily came with me. When I stepped into the greenhouse I felt perfectly fine.

"Hello Professor Sprout. My name is Alice Potter and I am in you first year Herbology class. I am really sorry I missed your lesson today, but I had the worst headache and needed to be escorted to the hospital wing. At first I thought I was allergic to something in the greenhouse, but I feel fine now, so it may just be stress." Professor Sprout smiled.

"Well I'm glad to hear you're not allergic to my greenhouses. I wouldn't trouble yourself with making up today's classwork, as long as you come to class the rest of the week you should do fine. Besides being raised by Remus Lupin I'm sure you know the importance of Herbology." Just then a group of third Gryffindors started to file into the greenhouse. Fred and George Weasley waved at me as they walked by.

"Thank you Professor. I'll see you tomorrow." The three of us headed to Transfigurations.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Professor McGonagall told us that Transfigurations would be the most difficult sort of magic we would ever learn at Hogwarts. Then she turned her desk into a pig and back again before it could run off. We then had to turn a match into a needle. Hermione and I had done this successfully in nearly five minutes, earning both of our houses five points each. I watched the rest of the class' attempts at it; some of them were just awful. It looked as though Harry and Ron weren't even trying at all. Hermione tried to help them but Ron just snapped at her. About twenty minutes into class Mary was able to at least make her needle shimmer silver. Emily soon followed with a successful Transfiguration. By the end of class only me, Hermione, Harry, Emily, and Draco had successfully transfigured needles.

"Ok where next?" I asked the girls. It was Ron who answered from behind me.

"Off to potions with the bat!"

"Who?" Emily asked as Draco and his goons caught up with us walking down the hall.

"Professor Snape obviously. Come on what other teacher looks like he has bat wings, skulks around the school and probably lives in a cave!" Draco said as he passed by. He howled with laughter at his own joke.

"He does not live in a cave!" I called out defensively. I bit down on my tongue before I could say anymore. Draco turned around, his eyes shooting daggers.

"Oh yeah Potter, then where does old bat brain live?" Thankfully we were walking by the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom and Sirius and Remus were standing at the doorway greeting their incoming Ravenclaws.

"Professor Bat Brain?" Sirius asked Draco.

"You wouldn't be talking about your head of house would you Mr. Malfoy?" Remus continued. It was like he could see the distress in my face, then again, I was biting my tongue face trying to keep word vomit from tumbling out.

"The professors call him that too?" Ron asked. _Was that a serious question Ron?_ I thought to myself.

"No Ron. But you all should know that Professor Snape does find out all the awful things you children call him. And he has promised to expel anyone he hears insulting him this year." Remus smiled. "Now you best be headed off to class." He ushered us on our way.

Potions class was held down in the dungeons near Slytherin common room. Severus started his lesson off with a lecture I had heard him practice at home over a hundred times. I could practically recite it from memory. I took notes with the rest of the class, so I didn't stick out. "You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you may hardly believe this is magic. I don't really expect you to understand the beauty of the softly shimmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind ensnaring the senses…I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper on death- if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." He stopped giving us time to absorb what he had just said. I had started to doodle in my margins absent mindedly as the class scratched notes feverishly on their parchments. A pair of laughs could be heard from the back of the class. Unfortunately Severus had been watching that back corner the whole time.

"Mr. Potter!" Severus called out. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" _Easy._ I thought surly Harry knew the answer. But Harry looked as if Severus was speaking a foreign language. Hermione's hand shot straight into the air. Severus ignored her.

"I don't know sir." Harry said.

"Let's try again Potter. Where would you look if I asked you to find a bezor?" Hermione stretched her hand as high in the air as it would go without leaving her seat. Still Harry looked stumped.

"I don't know sir."

"One last time then Potter. What is the difference between monshood and wolfsbane?" _Harry this is the easiest question you could get!_ I thought as Hermione raised her hand higher, she was practically standing now.

"I don't know sir. I think Hermione does though, why don't you try her?"_ Wrong answer Harry_. I thought as we watched Severus go nearly red with anger.

"Sit down!" He snapped at Hermione. "Perhaps your sister has been raised with proper knowledge of potions." _So that's what this was all about then? Another scheme to make Sirius look bad_. He turned to me and I glared back at him. For a moment I considered answering them all wrong to irritate him, but it was far more rewarding to show him that I had paid attention during all those potion lessons growing up.

"Sir I believe asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it's known as the draught of living death. It's what Shakespeare used in his play Romeo and Juliet so that Juliet would appear dead while waiting for Romeo." I said repeating that he had told me when I was seven and he had first taken me to see Romeo and Juliet.

"That is correct Miss Potter. And what of the bezor?"

"Professor I could be wrong but I believe it is a stone from a goat's stomach that can save you from most poisons It tastes awful. I had accidentally drank poison when I was five because my guardian had left it on the table next to my glass of juice. A mistake that he never repeated." I saw a bit of pain flicker in Severus' eyes. It was true he had never done it again, he hardly ever let me drink juice unsupervised until I was nine.

"That is also correct. Lastly the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"

"This is of course a trick question Professor!" I laughed. "They are the same plant, which also goes by a third name aconite. This plant is used in a powerful potion designed to help werewolves cope with the effects of the full moon." This I had learned thanks to Remus.

"And correct again Miss Potter. Ten points to Slytherin for each correct answer. I can see that your guardian has made sure you were well prepared for your schooling. You will all do well to learn from Miss Potter." Severus the set us to work on a potion to cure boils. Emily and Mary were partners, as were Crabbe and Goyle, everyone seemed to have a partner except for Malfoy and I. We actually worked well together. He would cut and slice the ingredients and I would add them in stirring the potion to the desired colors. By the end of the class everyone had mastered the potion except for Crabbe and Goyle. While the class cleaned up I felt my pocket grow warm.

_I have something for you in the ingredients cupboard, third shelf from the bottom. There is one green bottle and one brown bottle. The brown is Remus' Wolfsbane, the green is for your headaces._

_**Thank you. You didn't have to do that.**_

_Like you said, not everyone has a potions master as a father, but you have one as a guardian, use it to your advantage._ I started to head to the ingredients cupboard.

_**I thought we agreed you'd lay off Sirius.**_

_No. We agreed I wouldn't call him "Dog" and I was merely pointing out the fact that the boy's education is lacking._

_**That's why he's in school. As we have already established not EVERYONE has a potions master in the family. See you at lunch.**_ I grabbed my bag and left before he could reply. Remus was glad to have his potion; I dropped it off to him on my way to lunch. I then took a huge gulp of the headache medicine and headed to the great hall to sit with Emily and Mary.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

We started our flying lessons after lunch. Some of the students had quite a bit of trouble getting on their brooms. One Gryffindor boy in particular, Neville, found it especially difficult. It was the same Neville that had lost his toad on the Hogwarts Express last night. Once he finally mounted his broom Madam Hooch instructed us to all lean forward a bit, hover shortly and then touch back down. Only when Neville leaned forward he fell off his broom, and landed on his wrist. Madam Hooch insisted on taking him to the hospital wing herself and we were not permitted to fly without her.

"What do we do now?" I asked to no one in particular.

"We wait I guess." Harry said. We sat in the grass with Ron, Hermione, Mary and Emily, but soon the six of us heard a roar of laughter coming from a group of Slytherins.

"Maybe if the fat lump had given this a squeeze he'd remember to fall on his fat ass!" Draco bellowed. The Slytherins weighed in their approval with a thunderous laugh. I squinted to see what Draco was holding in his hand. A small glass ball filled with white smoke. I knew what is was, it was a remembral. Remus had one when I was younger, he said the smoke turned red when you forget something.

"Give it here Malfoy." Harry called out from the side of me. He stood up as Draco turned our way.

"What was that Potter?" I stood too.

"Draco you heard him. He said give it here!" the words blurted out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"No." He considered this for a moment or two; I almost thought he would change his mind. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find. He looked around the field for a hiding spot. "How 'bout on the roof?" He laughed as he mounted his broom and zoomed into the air. Instinctively I hopped on my broom and started to kick off the ground, I noticed Harry was doing the same. Hermione stood in front of us while Malfoy soared ten feet above us.

"If you fly after him you'll both be expelled!" She cried.

"Expelled for helping someone?" Emily asked.

"Flying isn't simple! It's Dangerous!" Mary added. "And if you fall off your brooms…"

"Madam Pomfry will fix us up!" I interrupted, and kicked off the ground speeding fast after Draco. Harry was right on my heels. We caught up in no time. "Give us back the remembral Draco!" Harry reached over and tried to pry the glass ball from Malfoy's hands. Draco punched Harry square in the nose, thankfully Harry kept his balance. The ball was airborne, I shot straight up and caught it. As I tried to fly back to the ground I took a strong blow to the side. Draco had flown into me and the handle of his broom had definitely caused some damage. I gripped at my side, letting the remembral slip though my hands. Harry was there in a second, catching it, cradling it like a small child.

"If you want it so bad you can have it. I just wanted to give Longbottom back his remembral. No need to be selfish Potters." What Draco was saying didn't even make sense. He was the one who stole the remembral in the first place. Why did he have a sudden change of heart? When the three of us landed I understood why, standing in front of us were Professor McGonagall, Sirius, Remus and Severus. I gulped, we are in so much trouble. Harry was waving the remembral high above his head so everyone could see it. As we touched down I looked for our friends. Ron and Emily were cheering with the rest of the class, Hermione was giving us an I-told-you-so look, and Mary just looked worried. I was afraid to look at any of the adults. The only one I could muster the courage to peek at was Sirius and he had the biggest, goofiest grin on his face I nearly burst into a fit a giggles.

"Mr. Potter follow me." Professor McGonagall said as she stormed off.

"Mr. Malfoy my office, NOW." Severus said. I noticed he didn't look at me before he stalked off after Harry and McGonagall.

"Alice you are to wait for Professor Snape in my oiffice," Remus said. Sirius and I followed on his heels as we entered the castle.

"That was incredibly dangerous Allison!" Remus started lecturing. "What if you would have fallen off? And your first time riding a broom! You were at least 100 feet in the air!"

"That was your first time riding a broom?" Sirius said. "No wonder Professor McGonagall recommended you for the house team."

"Allison, we were worried about you! Professor McGonagall saw the three of you go zooming by her office and immediately alerted Sirius and I. I was so worried I felt the need to alert Severus, as your head of house of course." Remus added when he saw Sirius give him a sideways glance.

"But I didn't fall off my broom did I? I'm just fine!"

"You're more than fine you're fantastic!" Sirius exclaimed, but Remus shot him a warning look.

"Sirius, you're not helping." Sirius sat down next to me, and pretended to lock his mouth and throw away the key.

"Please talk to Professor Snape!" I begged Remus. "Maybe if _you_ talk to him he'll let me at least try out."

"You know I really think you should allow her to try out Remus. With a little practice she may even be better than James! Maybe her brother too."

"SHE'S NOT GOING TO PLAY QUITICH!" Severus had entered the office, he and Remus had both shouted at Sirius.

"But why not?" Sirius and I whined in unison.

"Because Miss Potter," Severus began, "You broke a rule, and rule breaking doesn't warrant a rewards in the Sytherin house." I was furious. If a Professor thought I was good enough to play on a house team I should be allowed. I jumped up to argue.

"But Profes…OUCH!" I had nearly forgotten about the blow I had taken to the ribs. When I jumped it set pain shooting down my side. I crumpled back into my seat.

"Miss Potter please hold still." Severus produced his wand, and I could tell he was doing a diagnostic test on me, trying to figure out what I hurt. "You have four cracked ribs. After we are done here you are to go to Madam Pomfry." You will not be playing and that is final! Now you and young Mr. Malfoy will both serve detention with me for a month. My ingredients closet desperately needs cleaned."

"A month!" Last spring I had accidently broke one of Severus's Vials of veritaserum. He grounded me for two weeks and all I was allowed to do was farm work, and I had to remake the veritaserum. Working with him to remake the potion I realized what a slob he was in his lab. It was ironic actually because he was such an organized person otherwise.

"Yes. And you will not be playing quidditch. Those are your punishments as you Head of House, I have further punshments but I'd like to discuss them with your guardian first. For now you are to report to Madam Pomfry, Perhaps Professor Black will escort you." Understanding this as a cue to get lost, Sirius smiled at me.

"Come on Alice, let's get you fixed up." I practically crawled to the hospital wing but when Sirius and I got there, I was glad to see it was empty except for Harry who was sitting on a bed being examined by Madam Pomfry.

"How are your ribs?" Harry asked as I approached them. I could see that his nose was broken and pointed to one side.

"Better than your nose looks I'm sure." I said joking with him. "Professor Snape did a diagnostic test on me, said I have four cracked ribs."

"Miss Potter please sit down on the bed next to your brother's." I complied as she did the same test Severus had done moments ago. "Yes it appears that Professor Snape was right. It shouldn't take too long for those to repair. Here drink this." She handed me a glass of putrid smelling liquid I had come to recognize as Skell-o-grow. I laid down in my bed and before I knew it I had fallen asleep. About a half hour later Madam Pomfry woke me up and did another diagnostic test. "Everything seems to be fine, but I will keep you here another half hour to be safe." I looked around to find that Harry had been discharged and was probably back in class. "You have a visitor." Madam Pomfry said as she returned to her office.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

My visitor turned out to be slimy, Draco Malfoy. "Didn't mean to hurt you!" Draco said as he approached the bed.

"Tell that to my four cracked ribs." I said with a sneer reminding myself slightly of Severus.

"Honestly it was an accident! I was just trying to have fun and then your brother…"He stopped not wanting to continue. "You fly really well. Well enough that you could play seeker on the house team." Was Draco actually trying to be sincere?

"Um thanks." I said awkwardly. "You'd make a fine beater." I reassured.

"Too bad Professor Snape won't let either of us play." He looked down at his shoes.

"Yeah." Madam Pomfry told me I was free to go and warned Draco and I about flying unsupervised.

"Here I'll carry your bag." Draco said, taking my back pack from my hands. "You'll have bruises for sure from those ribs." Why was he being so nice? Wasn't this the same boy who only yesterday was threatening my brother? The same boy who only an hour ago had cracked four of my ribs by flying into them? As we headed to the dungeon I stopped him.

"What are you getting at Malfoy?"

"What do you mean Allison?"

"Yesterday you told my brother that he ought to be careful or we'd go the same way as our parents, and then you punched him in the face! And cracked my ribs, and stole Neville's things. Now you're carrying my books and apologizing?" He thought for a moment.

"yYou're angry with me for apologizing?"

"Yes! No! I'm angry because I don't know what to think."

"I'm sorry for what I said to your brother. I have a bit of a temper, I get it from my father." He looked at his shoes again. "But I'm not sorry for punching him. He looked at his shoes again. "But I'm not sorry for punching him. He was meddling in my business."

"Well when you're business involves stealing from his friends. I can see where he would want to intervene."

"I didn't steal it. Longbottm left it on the ground." We reached to Dormitory entrance by now. "Pure blood" Draco muttered as we waited for the door to appear he continued. "Look I saw what you did for your brother today, and I realized you might not be so bad, and that maybe I had judged you unfairly. I was hoping we could be friends." I considered this for a moment.

"Friendship is earned Draco. But I don't see why we have to be enemies." I said smiling offering him my hand. He shook it in agreement. He handed me my bookbag and I headed to my dorm. When I got there I was greeted, and practically choked, by a giant hug from Mary and Emily.

"Oh my god we were so worried! What happened! We didn't see you in charms…" Mary started.

"And when you didn't show up for History of Magic we thought for sure you'd been expelled." Emily added. I told them about my detentions with Draco, and meeting up with him in the hospital wing, and then our new found alliance. What really sparked a conversation though was when I told them that Professor McGonagall thought I should try out for the house team.

"That's so exciting!" Emily said. "I've never heard of a first year being recommended for the team."

"Yeah, too bad Professor Snape won't let me play." I said.

"But Professor McGonagall is the deputy headmistress right?" Mary asked.

"Yeah so?" I questioned not understanding what she meant.

"Can't she override Professor Snape's decision?"

"I think you might be right!" I exclaimed. "Should I go talk to her though? She seems very no-nonsense. What if she agrees with Professor Snape?"

"If she agreed with him would she have recommended you for the team?" Emily asked.

"I suppose not." I thought for a moment. "Alright, I'll go ask her!" I headed out of the common room and went to speak with Professor McGonagall. When we were done it was time for dinner so I headed over to the Great Hall. Emily and Mary had saved me a seat next to Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.

"Draco I talked to Professor McGonagall and she said she would override Professor Snapes rule about not letting us play."

"Really? I'm sure she figures a month of detention with the old bat is enough."

"Most likely. But she gave me a waver form that our parents have to sign, saying that it's ok for her to go over Snape." I explained.

"I'm sure my father will gladly sign mine. Do you think Professor Lupin will sign yours?" He asked.

"I'm not sure, we haven't really talked about the whole flying thing yet." Draco wished me luck as we started to eat dinner. I hadn't quite figure out who I was going to get to sign my paper yet, after all who do you get to sign your forms as a guardian when the papers are agents your guardian? But Draco had given me an idea. Severus was only my godfather as far as the ministry was concerned. Remus was my legal guardian. So all I had to do was convince Remus to sign them. After dinner I told Draco I would meet him at detention, and headed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class room.

"I don't really know Alice. Severus was really upset with Minerva for even suggesting it, if I sign those papers it'll be like declaring war on him. We are supposed to be raising you together, as a team." We were alone together in his office; but we kept our voices low so that we could not be overheard by Sirius, who was working in the classroom just beyond the door.

"Does Severus ask your permission every time he makes a decision regarding me?" I asked.

"Well no but.."

"Well that doesn't seem like a team to me. Taking away quidditch isn't going to teach me a lesson. I know I shouldn't have been flying without Madam Hooch but I was trying to help my brother and his friend doesn't that count for anything?"

"Well yes, but rules are rules." He suddenly raised his voice so that Sirius could hear him." I'm sure Professor McGonagall punished Harry just as severely, right Sirius." Sirius poked his head into the office, grinning from ear to ear as usual.

"No actually. Minerva gave him detention for a week and he has already been made Gyffindor's seeker."

"Well perhaps Professor Snape is being a bit too harsh…"

"Come on Remus let the girl play." Sirius pushed.

"Oh alright." Remus tossed his hands up in the air. Satisfied with his job well done, Sirius went back to working in the classroom. Remus' voice dropped again. "But when Severus is furious with you don't come crying to me." I smiled.

"Uncle Remus have I told you today that I love you?" I gave him a huge hug as he signed my papers.

"Yes, now please head off to your detention before you are late and give Severus another reason to hate me." He handed me back my forms and I bounded out of the room making a mental note to thank Sirius later for his help. After two hours of cleaning Severus dismissed Draco and I promising harder work the next day.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

Breakfast the next morning came much sooner than I would have liked. Mary, Emily and I dressed in our uniforms and stumbled down to breakfast. On the way down I slipped my forms under Professor McGonagall's door. Midway through breakfast a pack of owls came soaring in. Little Apollo was among them. He dropped a letter on my plate and started pecking around for some food. I opened to letter.

_Dear Miss Potter,_

_It is my pleasure to inform you that all of your forms seem to be in order. Congratulations and good luck on making the house team._

_Deputy Headmistress,  
>Professor McGonagall.<em>

_Well that was quick!_ I thought. But my heart sank when I felt a warm glow in my pocket.

_Who is the letter from?_

_**Professor McGonagall.**_

_Is this about Quidditch?_

_**Yes.**_

_I told her to stop meddling. I suppose she is going above me and allowing you to play anyway?_

_**Yes. Remus had to sign a waiver form.**_

_Well then…_ He didn't finish his sentence, but three giant birds came soaring in, each carrying thin long packages. One was a great horned owl that landed in front of Harry. After Harry untied the package it flew to Professor McGonagall. The other two flew to Draco and I. Draco untied his package from an owl wearing the Hogwarts crest. I turned to see my package attached to a large eagle owl I had grown to love.

"Hello Eileen." Severus had named her after his mother. There was a note attached to the package. "If you're going to break the rules at least do it properly." I read aloud.

"Signed Professor S. Snape. P.S. Draco I have already cleared this with your father." Malfoy finished reading his own note. I tore open the package and smiled. A brand-new Nimbus 2000 was glistening back at me. I peeked over my shoulder, Harry and Ron were peering over Harry's own Nimbus 2000. Nearly the entire Great Hall could hear Professor McGonagal laugh at the two boys excitement. I turned back to find the Slytherin table engulfing Draco and I. Most of the students were rambling facts about the brooms.

"Fastest broom invented they say." I heard one boy say.

"Wish I had me one of them." Added another.

_**Have I told you lately that I love you?**_

_Not for at least 3 days._

_**I love you Sev.**_

* * *

><p><em>Harry<em>

After breakfast Ron and I headed back to the Gryffindor tower to put my new broom safely away. On our way to Transfigurations we found ourselves on the third floor corridor on the right hand side, the forbidden corridor. We tried to take the staircase back, but before we could it had moved.

"I really hate those stairs." I said in frustration." What do we do now?"

"It could be hours till those comeback. We'll just have to wait…hey why do you think we're not allowed over here anyway?" Ron asked.

"I don't know and I reckon I don't want to know."

"Come on let's Check it out!" Ron pulled me into the nearest door before I could stop him. I shut the door behind us.

"So what is…THAT?" When I turned around I had practically come face to face with a three headed dog.

"I dunna know. Let's get out of here though." Ron turned to unlatch the door, unfortunately the latch woke to dog up. It snapped all three of its heads in our direction. We made a run for it as the dog snapped at our ankles. After an hour the stairs finally moved back and we ran to Hermione to tell her what happened.

"Well that's what you get for going somewhere that's restricted. Come on we promised Hagrid we'd meet him for tea." Since arriving at Hogwarts Ron, Hermione, and I had made good friends with the grounds keeper Hagrid. We headed over to his little cottage on the edge of the forbidden forest. When we asked Hagrid about the three headed dog he said.

"Fluffy is a sweet animal he'd never hurt a fly!"

"Fluffy? That thing has a name?" Ron exclaimed.

"Course he does. He's mine! I loaned him to Dumbledore to guard the…" Hagrid answered. "Oh dear I shouldn't have told you that. I should Not have told you that."

"Perhaps, we should leave." Hermione said. We left Hagrid's house.

"What do you recon that thing is guarding?"

"Something more valuable than gold I imagine." I added.

"Well whatever it is, it is none of our business anyhow. Now please drop it, before either of you get us expelled." Hermione said.

* * *

><p><em>Alice<em>

Quiditch tryouts where held after that day after breakfast. Needless to say Draco and I had both made the team. Draco was to be one of two beaters on the team, and I was to be the seeker. I looked for Harry to tell him the great new and wish him luck at our first match agents each other. When I found him he told me about his experiences with Ron and Hermione and all about "fluffy."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

Even though Hermione had told us to stop talking about "fluffy" Harry, Ron and I found ourselves thinking about it more and more each day. I didn't tell Emily and Mary about it because they would have said the same thing as Hermione. That it was dangerous, that it was none of our business, that we should focus more on our school work. I tried asking Severus once at breakfast, and though he didn't give us a direct answer he did lead us in the right direction unintentionally.

_**Why is there a three headed dog on the third floor?**_ He looked over at me suspiciously as he sipped his morning tea.

_How did you find out about the Cerberus?_

_**Wait that thing that Harry and Ron found was the same kind of creature from Muggle Greek Mythology? **_I had always loved that story.

_I have often told you muggles know more of our kind than wizards think._

_**THAT'S SO COOL! Be really dangerous! What is it guarding here at Hogwarts? He**_ looked alarmed now.

_Why do you think it's guarding something?_

_**Hagrid let it slip.**_ He was now shooting daggers in Hagrid's direction.

_Dumbledore and Nicholas told that bubbling idiot not to tell ANYONE._

_**Nicholas?**_ I was leading him right where I wanted.

_Flamel of course._

_**And he is?**_ I hoped I wasn't prying too much.

_NONE OF YOUR BUISNESS. GO TO CLASS._ No such luck.

_**It's Saturday Sev.**_

_Allison._

_**Ok, ok…hey thanks for the info.**_

_That's it. You're grounded. No quidditch._

_**Didn't you try that once?**_ His face flashed from enraged, to disgusted, to simply appalled.

_You know it's no wonder you got into Slythern. _I knew what he was doing. He was trying to hit a nerve. _You're very good at manipulating people to do what you want._

_**I'm just being cunning as a Slytherin ought to be, and if that makes me manipulative, I guess I have you to thank for that oh guardian of mine**_. I could practically hear him cursing me in his head. _Ok, ok I'm going._ I collected my things and headed back to the common room.

* * *

><p><em>October 31<em>_st_

The year was going by fast. Before I knew it, it was Halloween night. This year Professor Dumbledore had allowed all of the houses to sit at whichever house table they wanted. Emily, Mary, and I gladly joined Ron, Harry, and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. It was a full moon so Remus was "at home checking on the farm." Well that was the official story of what he did each month. I should have known this would be an interesting Halloween when it was a full moon as well.

"No Ronald I do not think fluffy is guarding a vault full of lemon drops. That would be absurd." Hermione said.

"Uh oh" Emily whispered in my ear.

"Oh and what do you suppose it is then? A vault full of books? You know Hermione just because you're bright it doesn't mean you're the brightest person in the world. If you are so bright how come you ain't got any friends then? You know Alice is just as bright as you, but she doesn't go around showing off. Hermione if you spend half the time you do reading books, you could be making real friends instead of always tagging along with Harry and I." Hermione burst into tears and ran out of the Great Hall before Ron could finish.

"Nice going Ron." I said and I got up to follow after Hermione, but Emily grabbed my arm.

"I'll go. After what Ron said she might not want to see you." She said and her and Mary followed Hermione out.

"I'm sure she'll be alright." Harry said. We started eating. But midway through the meal, the door to the great hall came crashing open. Harry and I both clutched our foreheads, as a painful waive radiated through our skulls. "Probably from the noise." Harry mumble. We turned to the door to see Professor Quirrell running in shouting

"Troll in the dungeon! Troll in the dungeon!" immediately most of the students started to panic. Over the chaos I shouted

"WE SHOULD GO MAKE SURE THE GIRLS ARE SAFE!"

"AGREED." Harry added.

"ARE YOU MENTAL? I'm NOT GOING TO TAKE ONA TROLL. I'M STAYING HERE."

"FINE. LET'S GO HARRY." We raced down the hall like lightning. Harry flew his arms out. "The troll just went into the girl's bathroom didn't it?" I asked him. Without another moment of hesitation we ran into the bathroom. The girls were shrieking and crying against the wall across from us. The troll was closing in on them knocking the sinks off the wall as he went. "We have to confuse it!" I said. Harry picked up a piece of the sink and chucked it at the troll. _I said confuse, not abuse Harry but whatever_. I grabbed a pipe from nearby and whacked the troll on the side of his head. He turned to look for his assailant.

"RUN!" Harry called to the girls as the trolls attention was diverted. I whacked the troll again and it was down on the ground.

"Is he, ya know dead?" Emily said looking pail.

"Just knocked out I think." Hermione answered.

"Let's get out of here before it wakes up." I said. I turned and ran straight into Severus. My immediate reaction was to hug him, but I pulled my arms straight to the sides and stepped back. "Sorry Professor."

"Professor, what happened to your leg?" Harry asked suspiciously. "It looks like a dog bite."

"What happened to your face Potter?" Severus said coldly.

"HEY!" Harry and I shouted together. " Severus ignored us, but pushed the five of us out of the bathroom.

"Here they are Minerva." Severus said.

"Potters, Thompson, Granger, Smith explain yourselves." We all explained what had happened to Severus and Professor McGonagall. She awarded Harry and I fifty points each for our "Sheer dumb luck" and then escorted us all back to the Great Hall.

_**What was Harry talking about?**_

_Alice as far as I know you are the one sitting with your brother at the Gryffindor table not I. How would I know what he was talking about._

_**I mean your leg.**_

_Just a minor scratch, nothing I can't cure._

_**Harry said it looks like a bite, You weren't near the shrieking shack were you?**_

_I was nowhere near Remus, if that is what you are implying. I didn't get bitten by a werewolf._

_**But you did get bit. Was it Sirius?**_

_I thought we agreed not to refer to his dog like qualities._

_**You're avoiding the question. What did you fight about?**_

_Why do you have to meddle? You are so much like your father sometimes._

_**I meddle because I care; I am like my mother in that way.**_

_It was not Sirius._

_**Then who…FLUFFY!**_

_Eat your dinner Allison. No more discussion. P.S. that's another week's detention._

_**For being worried about you?**_

_No. For going after a troll, and yes I did check with Remus first before you go complaining to him._ _He has arrived back already._ Sure enough Remus was sitting next to Hagrid smiling at something Sirius was saying.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

Emily, Mary and I woke early to get to breakfast in the great hall. Everyone was eager to watch the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I was honestly too nervous to eat. All week long Hogwarts had been in a buzz of Potter vs. Potter. I just hoped I could be an equal member of the team that was all I really wanted. Harry on the other hand seemed to be soaking in the glory.

"Alice do you want to walk down to the pitch with me?" Draco asked me after a few minutes.

"Sure. I wasn't planning on eating anyway." I grab my Slytherin duffle bag with all my quidditch gear in it and followed Draco out of the Entrance Hall. Draco and I had been fairly accepted on the team despite being the only first years. We had even spent extra hours working with the team captain to work our skills up to the second years. "See you in a minute!" I said as we headed to the boys and girls changing rooms. When we were all changed we met back up at the broom closet. We grabbed our brooms and waited for the team captain Marcus Flint to arrive. After a final review of the strategies the Slytherin team made its way to the field. Flint shook hands with the Gryffindor captain, Oliver Wood, and the Madam Hooch started the game.

"Now I want a nice fair game, all of you." She said. "Mount your brooms, please." When we did so Madam Hooch tossed the quaffle into the air and gave a loud blast of her whistle. The Gryffindors score the first point thanks to a chaser Angela Johnson, but the second point belonged to Slytherin. I closed my eyes and listened for the soft hum of the golden snitch's wings. I heard it a small distance away to my left. I cut my broom hard and turned in that direction. Harry was right on my tail. We tracked the snitch under the goal posts, through some players, and over the Hufflepuff stands. Harry was with me following so close I could touch him, but then when I turned around he was gone. I searched for him in the sky to see where he was, hoping he hadn't caught the snitch. Instead what I saw was what looked like Harry losing control of his broom. That didn't seem right, Harry was just flying with me, and matching my every move flawlessly. I absent mindedly looked at the crowd while I tried to think of something that would cause Harry to start to lose focus. Ron and Hermionie were watching the game from the Gryffindor stands with Hagrid. Sirius and Remus were also watching the game intently. Everyone seemed to be just fine. Behind Sirius I could see even stuttering Professor Quirrel was doing his usual muttering to himself. I watched him more closely…wait a minute, he's cursing Harry's broom! Panicked I looked for Severus. He seemed to be muttering to himself. He must be doing a counter curse. I relaxed a bit but still kept a close eye on Harry. Soon enough he was able to get on his broom. The chase was back on.

"You alright Harry?" we were close enough only he could hear me.

"Yeah. I don't know what happen…"

"I do. I'll tell you after the game. Just stay on that broom." I commanded as I sped away. We flew up over the Gryffindor stands. I reached out willing my fingers to stretch as far as they could. I first felt the wings brush agents my fingers, and then Harry. What? I thought. Harry was standing on his broom. He leaned forward and caught the snitch; he spun around to celebrate and toppled off his broom. "HARRY!" I yelled diving down. He was lying on his side, making a jerking motion that looked like coughing. I reached him just in time to see him spit the snitch out into his hands. He stood up and held the snitch high above his head and the crowd cheered wildly. I threw my arms around him and hugged him. "Thank god you're safe!"

* * *

><p>"So explain this again to me?" Ron had said for what seemed like the hundredth time. The six of us were huddled behind the hunchback witch statue.<p>

"Ron she's already told you five times. She saw Professor Quirrell muttering a curse, and Professor Snape saying a counter curse." Hermione explained.

"But how do we know it wasn't Snape giving the curse a Quirrell the counter curse?" Ron asked.

"Ron"… What could I say? I knew Severus couldn't hurt Harry because he was bound by a Promise to Dumbledore? Because I was raised by him and he was like a father to me? No I couldn't say any of those things to Ron. "Well I guess I can't…"

"Well let's go, we're going to be late for History of Magic." Harry said and we headed off to class.


	15. Chapter 15

Things weren't quite the same after the first match. I could never really find a way to convince Harry and Ron of Severus' innocence and between the troll injury and the quidditch match, I could sort of see where they were coming from. Unfortunately understanding their side didn't stop us from drifting apart slightly. We didn't talk in between classes quite as much and we hardly ever talked on the weekends. Mary said it was probably because of the work load the Professors had begun pilling on us, but I knew Hermione would be helping them enough that it wasn't a problem. As the holidays approached their moods hadn't improved. Two days before Christmas all of Hogwarts was lined up waiting for the carriages that would bring us to the Hogwarts Express, which would take us to Platform Nine and Three Quarters. The six of us were waiting in line and us girls talked while Harry and Ron continued to give me the cold shoulder.

"I can't wait to see my parents and tell them all about everything at Hogwarts!" Hermione said.

"The first thing I'm doing when I get home is sleeping in my own bed!" Mary added.

"The first thing I'm doing is anything but homework!" Emily said. We all laughed in agreement. "How about you Alice? What's the first think you want to do when you get home?" I thought about it.

"I'd settled for just Harry talking to me again." I said. "But if I got that then I guess I just can't wait to go home and ride my horse. I miss my farm a lot more than I ever thought I would." A group of three redheads approached us.

"Hello Allison, Emily, Mary." Percy Weasley said giving us a polite nod.

"'ello Girls." Fred and George Weasley said together.

"Is Ron with you?" Fred asked.

Mum wanted all of us to get on the train together." "George explained.

"Yeah," I said "He's right there." I pointed to the back of Ron's head.

"Is he still not talking to you?" Percy asked.

"Yes. Neither is Harry." I answered.

"We'll have a talk with our dear little brother over the break for you." George said.

"Would you girls like some sweets for the ride back?" Fred asked.

"Sure." We all said as Fred handed each of us bags of every flavor beans and piles of chocolate frogs.

"Fred do I want to know where you two got all this candy?" I asked

"Probably not considering we nicked it all from Filch's office." George answered. I rolled my eyes and put the candy in my bag before anyone else saw.

"You're secret's safe we me boys. " I smiled as they left to pester Ron. It wasn't too much longer before the Weasley's, Harry, Emily, Mary and I were climbing onto the Hogwarts Express. We finally got settled and I was about to fall asleep, when the compartment door slid open. In flew what looked like a paper airplane with huge eagle wings. It landed in my lap. No one else seemed to notice, but I still didn't want to draw too much attention to it. I took the note and tucked it away in my pocket. It was late at night when we reached Platform Nine and Three Quarters. A lot of the students had already found their parents and headed home.

"Promise me you'll write me over the vacation!" Emily bubbled as she gave me a goodbye hug.

"Of course Em! Happy Christmas!" I called as she ran over to her parents. "Catch you later Mary!" I called out as she ran to her parents too. I said goodbye to several others as I looked around for Remus. I stood there for quite a while before Harry came over.

"I don't see Sirius do you?"

"No. and I can't find Remus either." I answered. "Uh Harry what's date?"

"December 22." _So it's not a full moon_, I didn't think it was but it couldn't hurt to check. We kept searching and to our relief Sirius and Remus were standing by the platform exit.

"Hey cubs!" Sirius said with a grin on his face.

"What took you so long?" Harry asked.

"We were having trouble securing a muggle car." Remus said. Sirius drove us to Remus' house and they helped me unload my trunk.

"Take care Alice. Happy Christmas, see you in three days." Sirius said giving me a big hug.

"You too Sirius." I turned to Harry. "Happy Christmas Harry. I miss you." I said and gave him a hug.

"Yeah. See you soon sis." Harry said as he got back in the car. When the car drove away I started to pull my trunk over to my house.

"No Alice." Remus said putting his hands on my shoulder. "You're staying at my house tonight. Severus isn't home." I could feel myself tearing up.

"Whyy not? I have barely spoken to him all year! I miss him! Why isn't he home!" I whined.

"Don't worry Alice, he promises to arrive home by floo power in the morning. He just has some seventh year potions essays left to grade. You can stay at my house until then. Come on I'll get your trunk." With a flick of his wand my trunk was floating towards his front door. I sighed _Staying with Remus again_. It's almost as if nothing had changed. I trudge inside and flopped down on the couch. I turned to T.V. and absent mindedly flipped through the channels. I fell asleep out of sheer boredom.

A strong but gentle hand awoke me the next morning. I could feel my face brighten at the sight of him. "SEVERUS!" I squealed throwing my hands around his neck.

"Good morning Allison." He said. "Are you ready to go home?"

"Am I ever!" I said. I grabbed my bag and started to run downstairs. I ran head first into Remus. "I'm so sorry Remus!"

"Alice were you going to leave without saying goodbye?" He pretend scolded me.

"Of course not! I was just going to find you." I lied. "We're heading home. Thank you for letting me stay with you." I hugged him goodbye. He hugged me back.

"You know you're always welcome here. I'll be seeing you here on Christmas Eve right?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world." I said. As I picked up my bag I had dropped on the floor. We left and after a long walk I was finally home. "So what do you have planned for today Sev?" I asked.

"I have presents to wrap for a certain mischievous Potter."

"Harry?" I asked.

"Very funny Alice. I'm afraid you'll have to entertain yourself for a while. Unless you need something…"

"Sev, could you just do me a favor? Could you please make me waffles like you used to? They're my favorite."

"Certainly Alice-Lilly." I sat at the table and watched him make waffles. It was almost like nothing had happened. While at school I had forgotten how much I missed home. After breakfast Severus headed down to the basement and I headed up to my loft. I was changing into a comfortable pair of sweatpants, when something fell out of my pocket; it was the note from the train yesterday. I finished dressing and then sat on my bed unfolding the note.

_Potter,_

_I know we aren't the best of friends, but I would like to extend a Happy Christmas to you and your family in hopes that we can become good friends in the future._

_Draco Malfoy._

That was nice of him. I thought. I would have to be nicer to Draco in the near future. After reading Draco's note, I looked for my parent's old photo album. It felt weird to possess something of scarlet and gold when I had become so accustom to emerald and silver. I flipped past the first page of my parents dancing. The second photo was one of my dad and Sirius dressed in dress robes at what I assumed was my parents wedding. The next page was a photo of my dad, Sirius, Remus, and who I assumed was Peter Pettigrew. I was overcome with a sick feeling in my stomach. They all were smiling with their arms thrown over each other's shoulders laughing at something off camera. I scanned each of their faces. Dad's eyes were half blocked by a glare on his glasses but I could tell that he wasn't much older than 17. Sirius was his usual cheery self, but his face didn't yet have the defined laugh lines that I had grown accustom too. Remus' face had virtually no scars on it and he seemed to be making one of the few genuine smiles I had ever seen from him. And then there was the fourth man. The traitor. Even then, years before my birth he seemed uneasy among his friends. His eyes shifted back and forth watching the others. I flipped through some more of the pages. Towards the middle of the book I found pictures of Harry and I as babies. There was an adorable one of my dad sleeping on the couch with me cuddled into his arms, and another of Harry riding a toy broom around his room my mother chasing after him. I still couldn't help wondering how things would have been if I had grown up with them. This feeling was always particularly strong around the holidays, and looking at these pictures only made me think of it even more.

Severus and I went to Remus' house for Christmas Eve dinner just as we had done for eleven years. After dinner we exchanged gifts. Remus gave me a ring with a silver band and three small emeralds on it. I gave him a remembral to replace the one I had broken so long ago, as well as a book called _So you think you Might be a Werewolf? It _was a joke book that describes all the silly things muggles thought werewolves did and looked like.

"There's a muggle who thinks werewolves are all descendants from Native Americans, and that our sole purpose is to fight off vampires and defend Indian territory and she thinks the vampires sparkle, ha!" Remus laughed as he read the book aloud. And lastly Severus gave him a bottle of some wolfsbane, a _How to Train Your Dog book, _and a new set of robes. After presents we sang Christmas carols by the fire place. It was late when Severus headed home. I stayed in Remus' guest room. Early Christmas morning I headed back home to unwrap all of my presents from Severus. Our giant Christmas tree was shining bright with hundreds of candles on its branches. They were of course enchanted flames so they didn't ignite the tree. From Severus I received many of the typical holiday presents. A new ornament for our tree, refills of all of my school supplies, and some books I had been asking for, but there was one unusual gift among them this year, it was a fairly large package. Despite its size the package had barely any weight to it. I unwrapped the paper, and opened the box to find a large amount of shinning, silvery cloth. On top of the cloth there was a letter.

_Your father left this in my possession before he died. I have since split it, and turned it into two. One for each of you. The magic is not lost but it is time I return them to you both. Use it well.  
>A.P.W.B.D.<em>

"Severus, who is this from? And what is it?" I asked looking up at him from my spot on the floor.

"That is an invisibility cloak. And I would bet my potions mastery it is from that meddling old fool Dumbledore. Please excuse me. I have something I must do." He rose from his place in the arm chair and went down to his lab. Probably to floo to Hogwarts and harass poor Professor Dumbledore. For a moment I wondered who "each of you" could mean, and then I understood surely it was Harry. Just then my beautiful little Apollo came hooting in and dropped a small box no larger than a chocolate frog box into my hands. The box was wrapped in plain emerald paper, with an unnecessarily large bow on top.

_Happy Christmas Potter._ There was no signature but I didn't really need one to know that this had come from Draco Malfoy. I carefully unwrapped the box, and opened its small lid. Inside was a beautiful Slytherin Crest necklace. The sterling silver glistened from the glow of the tree candles, It was engraved and colorless except for a bright emerald snake, and the word Slytherin also in Emerald across a banner at the bottom of the crest. I turned it over to seem my name written in a rather elegant script. Allison Lillian Potter.

Severus sent me over to Remus' house around four o'clock to help him prepare for dinner. Sirius and Harry arrived for dinner at exactly six. The food was similar to what we had eaten the night before. When it came time to exchange gifts I was excited the most to give Harry mine. Although we hadn't been talking, I had been working hard to think of the perfect gift for him, and I thought I had found just the right thing. I handed Harry the small scarlet bag and held my breath. He carefully untied the golden ribbons and reached into the golden tissue paper. He pulled out a small scarlet and gold book with the Gryffindor crest on the cover. Along the spine in gold letters it read Potter Family. It wasn't my photo album, but I copy that Professor McGonagall had helped me make with a magical reproduction charm. It had all of the same photos as mine did though. Harry's eyes shinned brightly as he flipped to the first page.

"I've seen this one before. Sirius put it in my room when I was a baby, he said that way I'd always be able to remember what mom and dad looked like. That's how I knew you looked like mom when we met." He flipped to the next page with the wedding photos. "I've never seen these though. Thank you Alice this is perfect!" He hugged me. Soon Harry and Sirius headed home. When I knew they had disapperated for sure, I started walking home, half asleep stumbling over the fences between our properties, on my way home from my first Christmas with my brother.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

A few weeks after the holidays I finally decided to talk to Harry, well owl Harry anyway.

_Dear Harry,_

_I'm tired of us not talking. You're my family, my blood and I love you more than anything. I spent my whole life not talking to you, I hate that though we've found each other we still don't speak. Please write back._

_Alice._

Also since I had returned to school I had become close friends with Draco. We sat together in nearly every class, and we ate most meals together. He helped me with quidditch and I helped him with potions homework. That particular afternoon we were eating lunch and practicing transforming our goblets into pop bottles. Apollo came flying in with the rest of the owls, a small piece of parchment tied to his leg.

_Dear Alice,_

_You're right. I'm Sorry. Can you meet me after dinner tonight, bring your invisibility cloak. I have an idea. We're going find out who Nicholas Flamel is._

_Harry_

I could hardly wait until dinner. I hadn't mentioned my invisibility cloak to Draco, or Emily or anyone other than Remus and Severus, and now that Harry and I had plans to use them, I didn't intend on telling anyone anytime soon. We met after dinner next to the old hunchback witch statue. We put on our cloaks and I asked what we were going to do.

"We're going to check the library."

"Harry, Hermione and I already checked the library."

"But you didn't check the restricted section." He said plainly.

"That's because it's restricted." I pointed out.

"Not with these." He said tugging on my cloak. "Come on let's go." Harry and I spend hours searching in the restricted section, until finally I came across The _Sorcerer's Stone_ by Nicholas Flamel.

"Harry I think I've found something." I took the book and propped it up on the book shelf in front of me. I place my lantern next to it so we could read. "The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the Sorcerer's Stone over the centuries, but the only stone currently in existence belongs to Nicholas Flamel, who celebrated his 665th birthday last year."

"That's what Fluffy's guarding! That's what Snape wants!" Harry said.

"Will you come off it, its Quirrell, not Snape, but either way they are definitely after the Sorcerer's Stone. Come on let's g…" I turned to find Harry staring at me in a mirror. "Hello Earth to Harry!" I called as I walked over to him. Then I realized he wasn't staring at me, he was staring at my "Mom!" I said.

"No, not mum, dad." Harry said to me.

"Harry I clearly see mum."

"Well I don't." He said. I looked at the mirror. Around the frame there were inscriptions in Latin. I couldn't read Latin but one word caught my eye, Erised.

"Harry you don't see what I see because this, is the Mirror of Erised. It only shows you your hearts one true desire." I said.

"Quite correct Miss Potter." Professor Dumbledore said from behind us.

"Ah!" I said a little freaked out, then I realized we'd be expelled for sure.

"You are not in trouble. You were both simply trying out your new gifts by exploring forbidden parts of the castle. I'm glad you both chose the library rather than the forest as your father chose at your age. If you're asking how I know all of this you should know that I do not need a cloak to become invisible, and I know a great deal more of what goes on at Hogwarts than most students know. Now children I must tell you this, the Mirror of Erised will be moved to a new home tomorrow, and I must ask you both not to go looking for it. If you run across it again you will be prepared for its effects, but as I've said please do not go looking for it. It is not good to dwell on the past. Now off to bed with you both."

Armed with our newfound information Harry and I met Ron and Hermione behind the hunchback witch before lunch the next day.

"Do you understand what this means?" Ron asked.

"If you're thinking it means we have to save the stone, please don't continue." Hermione said.

"We have to save the stone." Harry and I added in unison.

"Well, I want no part in this." Hermione said. "However someone will have to be the brains of this operation." It was decided then. Harry, Ron and I would travel down through the trapped door, retrieve the stone and bring it to Dumbledore before Voldemort's followers could get to it. Hermione would stay here at the hunchback witch, under to safety of my invisibility cloak, she would wait for any signals from us, or if we ran into trouble she was to alert the Professors.

"Well then, see you all after dinner!" I said as we headed to lunch. The rest of the day I was fidgety with anticipation. It surprised me how little anyone actually noticed. When dinner finally came it seemed to drag on for hours. At last students began to file out of the great hall. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I casually walked to the old witch statue. Harry tossed his invisibility cloak over Ron, and I did the same with mine only covering myself and Hermione. This would be one of the hardest parts, waiting for hours while all of the students, faculty and staff retired to bed. We waited, even long after Filch had gone to bed just to be safe. I crawled under Harry's cloak and we departed leaving Hermione alone to wait.

"Ron did you bring your brother's flute?" I asked. Hagrid had told us that Fluffy will fall asleep if you just play her some music. He then realized what he had said, but was unable to take our vital piece of information back.

"Yeah, but I still don't understand how you're gonna play it if you've never played before."

"Magic. Ron." I answered. "Beside Hermione and I think we should use an enchanted instrument, that way it'll still play while we are down there."

"Oh, yeah right of course."

"Well here it goes." Harry said. He creaked open the heavy wooden door and we snuck inside.

"It's already sleeping." Ron said. Sure enough Fluffy was sleeping to the sounds of a giant enchanted harp. "Was that here before?" Ron asked pointing to the harp.

"I don't think so."

"Come on we don't have much time!" I said. I opened to trapped door. "Alright who's first?"

"Not me!" Harry said.

"Me neither." Ron added. "'Sides mum always taught me ladies go first."

"I thought you Gryffindors were supposed to be brave!" I said to them as I prepared for the jump. "Right, I'm going to start off with a run." I stepped back several paces and found myself muttering something about lousy Gryffindors and took off on my run. I closed my eyes and jumped into the hole. When I landed I felt long slimy tentacle wrapping around my body. "EEK!" I screamed.

"Alice are you alright?" Harry called down.

"Yes I called back but it's a little gross." Harry soon joined me closely followed by Ron.

"Ok so how do we get out of here?" Harry asked. I tried to get up, but found I was being restrained by the tentacles. The more I fought the harder it constrained me. I looked more closely at the tentacles; I could see that they were in fact vines.

"Harry, Ron, stop moving. I know what this is. It's Devils snare. Simply relax and it will let us go." I closed my eyes, and concentrated on my breathing. All I thought about was breathing in and out. Before I knew it I was falling to a dungeon down below. I stood and waited for Harry and Ron. "Just don't think. Close your eyes and concentrate on breathing." Harry came tumbling down a minute later, but Ron started to scream, and thrash around in the devil's Snare. "Ron Just relax!" I called to him."

"I can't!" he yelled back.

"We've got to do something!" Harry said to me. I thought for a moment.

"I remember reading something in one of the Herbology books, it was a poem…Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare, They're deadly fun, But will soak in the sun! That's it, Devil's Snare hates sunlight! LUMOS MAXIMUS!" I screamed and a beam of light shot from my wand. Ron toppled to the ground and we rushed over to him.

"Lucky we didn't panic!" Ron said laughing.

"Lucky Alice has a photographic memory." Harry said. I smiled, come on let's go. We ran down the dungeon corridor. "Anyone else hear that?" Harry asked.

"Hear what?" Ron asked. We listened in silence for a moment.

"Humming in the distance!" I added. "Sounds like thousands of snitches." We followed the corridor around the corner. We didn't find thousands of golden snitches; instead we found hundreds of winged keys flying around.

"One of them must go to that door!" Ron pointed to the only door in the corridor." He walked over to the door and inspected the lock. "We're looking for something old, big, chunky." Ron said. "There." He pointed to a key that fit his description.

"We must have to use that broom to fly up and get it." Harry said.

"Which one of us will be the one to do it then?" Ron asked.

"Harry."

"Alice" We said at the same time.

"Come on Harry, I figured out how to get past the Devil's Snare it's your turn. Besides you love flying what's wrong?"

"It's too simple."

"Not really, it's just as easy as me remembering a poem."

"Come on Harry if Snape can do it so can you!" Ron said.

"IT'S NOT SNAPE!"

"Right whatever, go on Harry." He handed Harry the broom. As soon as Harry kicked off the ground the keys began flying around his head like flies. We watched him struggle, and finally grasp the key we needed. He landed and I unlocked the door. We stepped through the door and onto what looked like a giant chess board. We were standing behind six foot tall black chess pieces, across from us, in perfect rows sat the white pieces.

"Now what do we do?" Harry asked.

"It's obvious isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room." Ron said.

"How?" I questioned.

"I think we have to play as pieces." Ron answered. "This is going to take a lot of thinking. We'll have to play as three black pieces." We waited while Ron thought. "Please don't be offended but neither of you are very good at chess…"

"We're not offended. We each have our own strengths." I smiled.

"Harry, you take the place of the bishop, And Alice, you can go next to him instead of that castle. As for me? I'll be a knight." The three chess pieces we were to replace, left the board as we walked over to replace them. "White always moves first." A white pawn moved forward two spaces. Soon enough Ron was directing the pieces on where to go. I had complete faith in Ron, but when he instructed Harry to move, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if we lost. In wizards chess, when you lost a piece the opposite color came alive a destroyed it. All I could do now was hope that with all my heart Ron won us this game. After a few moments we were nearly won.

"I've got to be taken." Ron said very seriously.

"NO!" Harry and I cried out together.

"Look do you two want to save the stone or not?" There had to be some other way…I studied the board, there was no other choice Ron was right. ""I'll take one step forwards, the queen will take me, and the Harry you'll be free to check the king. Just promise me you won't stick around after we win." We did so reluctantly. Here I go." He stepped forward and he white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he fell to the ground. I lifted my foot to run to him.

"NO!" Harry called out. "Don't forget, we're still playing." He moved forward. "Check Mate." The white king tossed his crown at Harry's feet. We had won. And it was all thanks to Ron. Harry pulled me away towards the next door, before I could linger too much on Ron we entered a room with seven differently shaped potion bottles standing in a line on a table. As soon as we entered the room, Purple flames shot up in a circle around us, black flames shot up blocking the exit door. "WHAT NOW!" Harry barked in frustration. Next to the bottles there was a rolled up piece of parchment. I picked it up, un rolled it and read the poem out loud.

_"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind you,  
>Two of us will help you, whichever you will find,<br>One among us seven will let you move ahead,  
>Another will transport the drinker back instead,<br>Two among us hold only nettle wine,  
>Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.<br>Choose, unless you wish to stay here furthermore,  
>To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:<em>

_First, however slyly poisons hide you will always find them on nettle wine's left side;  
>Second, different are those who stand on either end,<br>But if you want to move onward neither is your friend;  
>Third as you see clearly, all are different size,<br>Neither dwarf nor giant holds death on their insides;  
>Fourth the second left and second on the right<br>Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight." I reread the poem twice more. "It's a logic problem. A lot of wizards would be stuck here forever."_

"So will we, I haven't gotten a clue as to what that thing means."

"Of course not. Everything we need to know is here." I waved the paper at him. "Seven potions. Three are meant to kill; one sends us through the black fire, the other through the purple." I opened each of the bottles. I could tell which were the nettle wine straight off from the smell. It was Severus' favorite wine. The poison was easy enough as well. Lastly I used the poem's location clues to find the one we were looking for. "The smallest one is the one we need to drink." I took a sip and handed him the bottle. WE walked through the fire, into the final chamber.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17 **

When we looked around the chamber we saw that someone was already there, but it wasn't Severus, I didn't need to look to know that it was Professor Quirrell. Harry and I clutched our foreheads in pain.

"You?" Gasped Harry.

I leaned over into his ear, "now might not be the right time to say this, but I told you so." I whispered.

"Me." Quirrell said. "Yes I was wondering if I should expect the two of you."

"But I thought Snape…" Harry began.

"Yes Severus does seem the type doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would have suspected p-p-p-poor stuttering p-p-Professor Quirrell."

"But Snape tried to kill me!" Harry said.

"No I tried to kill you. He was trying to save you." _Told ya so._ I said to myself. Quirrell snapped his fingers and ropes sprang from the ground tying Harry and I up, causing us to fall into a heap on the floor. Quirrell paced around us. "You're both too nosy to live. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me look at what was guarding the stone."

"You let the troll in?" Harry asked. _Geez Harry keep up. He's evil it's what evil wizards do._

"Certainly. I have special gift when it comes to trolls. Unfortunately while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off- and not only did my troll fail to beat you at death, that three headed dog couldn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off. Now both of you shut up while I examine this mirror." He walked away and Harry and I turned to see the mirror of Erised. "This mirror is my key to finding the stone. Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this. I see the stone. I'm presenting it to my master, but where is it?"

"Harry we have to keep him from focusing fully on that mirror." I whispered.

"Got it. But saw you a few days ago, you were crying, I thought Snape was threatening you…"

"Sometimes I find it hard to follow my master's commands, for he is a great wizard and I am weak."

"You mean he was there in the class room with you?" I asked.

"He is with me wherever I go." _What I want most is to get the stone before Quirrell does_. _All I have to do is get a good look at that mirror_. I thought. I could hear Quirrell talking to himself while I thought. Suddenly a low hiss cut through the chamber.

"Use the children." The hiss commanded. Quirrell rounded on us. "COME HERE!"

"We have to lie." I whispered to Harry as we approached the dark wizard.

"What do you see boy?" Harry stared into the mirror for a moment.

"I see Dumbledore. I'm shaking hands with him. Gryffindor has won the house cup."

"And you girl?"

"I see a field. I'm riding a horse, no, no, a broom."

"THEY LIE!" the hiss said. "LET ME SPEAK TO THEM FACE TO FACE."

"No master you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough for this!" Quirrell began to unwrap his turban, and it seemed that with each of his unwrappings, my headache grew worse. I gripped Harry's hand to stop myself from screaming. On the back of Quirrell's head there was a face. The skin around it was chalky white; there was no nose, and only red slits for eyes.

"See what I have become." The face said. "Mere shadow and vapor…I have form only when I share another's body…but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own...now, Alice why don't you give me that stone in your pocket." _Bloody hell._

"NEVER!" I shouted.

"Seize her." Voldemort screamed. I ran almost blinded by the pain coming from my scar. I tossed the stone to Harry, who ran in the opposite direction. Quirrell chased after him, and Harry pushed him away. As soon as Harry touched him, Quirrell began to burn.

"DO IT AGAIN HARRY!" I yelled. He touched Quirrell on the face this time. I went over to aid Harry. Soon Quirrell's body fell to pieces in front of us. I remember black, falling into deep blackness.

* * *

><p>I woke up to see Professor Dumbledore smiling over my bed. I started mumbling incoherently about the stone and Quirrell. Dumbledore just smiled.<p>

"Relax Allison. Quirrell does not have the stone."

Harry stirred on the side of me. "Professor how long have we been out?"

"It was three days ago that Mr. Ronald Weasley and Mrs. Hermione Granger came to me. Your friends and family have been quite worried about the pair of you. I have also been worried but I think that know I will leave you to your friends." As Dumbledore left I looked to Harry. He smiled back, and repeated what he had said to me when we first met:

"I'm glad I don't have to do this alone."

**The End **


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